Passive RFID postage stamps and method of using the same

ABSTRACT

A system and method for postage payment utilizes passive RFID tags as postage “stamps”, with the amount of the postage automatically billed to a previously-established customer account. The tags are stored in a separate stamp database and are “enabled” by linking the individual tag to a customer account. The use of the RFID stamps eliminates the need for the customer to know the proper postage beforehand. The existence of a customer account with a proper return address reduces the likelihood of a dead letter. Also, a special category of stamps may be used for automatic reply mail. By virtue of using an RFID tag, the mailed item&#39;s progress through the postal delivery system may be tracked from dispatch to delivery.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a system and method for postage paymentand, more particularly, to the utilization of passive RFID tags aspostage “stamps”, with the amount of the postage billed to a customeraccount associated with the RFID tag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Customers are often unable to determine the proper postage required foran item being mailed, whether through a government-based organization(such as the US Postal Service) or a private messenger company (such asthe United Parcel Service). Indeed, it is possible for an individual tomail an item with insufficient postage, causing inconvenience andexpense for both the customer and the postal entity. Furthermore,government-associated postage rate hikes have become more frequent,resulting in the need to purchase small denominations (e.g., one-, two-,or three-cent) stamps to use with all previously-purchased first classstamps (although this situation has been somewhat ameliorated with theintroduction of the first-class “forever” stamp). Inasmuch as postagefees tend to be a function of the weight of the item to be mailed(regardless of delivery service), often a customer must first have theitem weighed, and then affix the proper amount of postage. Indeed, eventhe size and shape of items being mailed are becoming factors indetermining the necessary postage. The US Postal Service does offer aPriority Mail Flat Rate Box, although the convenience comes at highercost to the consumer than if the item were actually weighed. In theevent that the postage is insufficient, or if the destination address is“undeliverable”, a return address is required to re-route the item tothe originator. However, since the return address itself is notroutinely verified (or may even be omitted), some of these items willnot be able to be returned to the original sender.

No matter how careful an individual may be when attempting to estimatethe proper postage, the US Postal Service remains obligated to weigheach item and confirm that a sufficient amount of postage is affixed,commensurate with the desired class of delivery service, including anyrequested enhanced services (e.g., insurance, certified delivery and thelike). Subsequently, each item must be oriented, aligned, sorted androuted. In order to avoid repetitive stress injuries, postal employeesare limited in how much time they may spend on such tasks, for example,typing delivery point barcodes. There has heretofore been no way toavoid the need for these repetitive tasks to be performed on each pieceof mail. Further, tracing mailpieces as they pass through the postalsystem is useful for service monitoring, but is very labor intensive;retrospective tracing for forensic purposes is virtually impossible.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,140 issued to J. R. Tuttle on Mar. 5, 1996 disclosesan electrically-powered postage stamp (or shipping label) which includesa radio frequency identification (RFID) device and system mountedbetween the opposing major surfaces of the stamp. The RFID device andsystem includes an integrated circuit transceiver chip which isconnected to and powered by a thin flat battery cell. The transceiverchip is operated in association with a thin RF antenna, all of which aremounted in a side-by-side relationship on a thin base support layer ofthe stamp/label. These thin, flat components are mounted in anessentially two-dimensional planar configuration that is well-suited forincorporation into the conventional planar structure of a postage stampor mailing label. As disclosed therein, the Tuttle RFID system is usedto provide tracking information from dispatch to delivery. The Tuttlesystem uses an “active” RFID device, requiring each stamp/label toinclude batteries (albeit relatively small, planar batteries). Further,no system for determining postage or using the Tuttle system forcustomer billing of postage is disclosed or suggested.

A method and apparatus for providing postal user identification andbilling is disclosed in US Patent Application Publication 2003/0225711,authorized by M. Paping and published on Dec. 4, 2003 (hereinafter“Paping”). As described therein, a franking module is provided thatallows a postal customer to apply “unique indicia” to an item of mailfor authorizing postal transactions. The indicia does not includepostage, and the franking module has no capability of storing andaccounting for postage. The identification data represented by theindicia includes a customer account number that is registered with thepostal service for authorization and billing. The indicia is read andthe postage value calculated by a post office processor remote from thefranking module, with the amount of postage thereafter debited to thecustomer's account when the mail item clears the initial processing. ThePaping method and apparatus is limited inasmuch as the franking moduleis required to be purchased by a customer in the first instance, in muchthe same style as a postage meter. Moreover, once the Paping system isused for postage billing, there is no further interaction with themailpiece and no system to provide the tracking thereof.

US Patent Application Publication 2005/0116047, published to Binh T. Luet al. on Jun. 2, 2005 (hereinafter “Lu”), discloses a ‘trackable’postage stamp including a passive tracking device (usually a passiveRFID tag) including stamp identification (ID) information. In the Lu etal. arrangement, the stamp ID information is stored in a centralizeddatabase in association with specific information about the item beingmailed (for example, a “rare” book with an insurance value of $1500 isbeing sent from Bookstore A to Buyer B, mailed on Dec. 12, 2012). Thestamp can therefore be interrogated anywhere along its delivery path toprovide the sender (and perhaps the receiver) current informationregarding the mail's location. While the use of a passive RFID tag isconsidered to be an advance in the art in terms of providing mailpiecetracking, the Lu arrangement does not suggest the inclusion of any typeof billing arrangement with the trackable stamp. US Patent ApplicationPublication 2005/0216319, published to G. C. Rebin on Sep. 29, 2005discloses a similar “retail stamp with tracking” arrangement utilizingpassive RFID tags. Again, no discussion of incorporating customerbilling into the tracking mechanism is disclosed or suggested by Rebin.

Thus, a need remains in the art for an automated postage billing andtracking system that allows for selection of delivery service class andenhanced services (if any), while eliminating the need for a customer toknow/have available the proper postage prior to mailing an item.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other limitations of the state of the art are addressed by thepresent invention, which relates to a system and method for postagepayment and, more particularly, to the utilization of passive RFID tagsas postage “stamps” (hereinafter simply referred to as “RFID stamps”),with the amount of the postage automatically billed to a customeraccount associated with the RFID tag, eliminating the need for thecustomer to know the proper postage beforehand. In addition, thecustomer may request that enhanced services (such as, but not limitedto, insurance, certified, or the like) may be billed through the RFIFtag. Also, by virtue of using an RFID tag, the mailed item's progressthrough the postal delivery system may be tracked from dispatch todelivery. Indeed, a customer may request tracking information on anymailpiece with an RFID stamp, without prior arrangement; of course, thepostal entity could impose an extra charge if not already covered in theclass of service. Furthermore, inventory management, process monitoring,customer services, etc., may all be integrated through the postalentity's databases for RFID stamp tracking and subsequent data mining.

In accordance with the present invention, passive RFID tags are used ina variety of different applications as a substitute for traditional,fixed-rate postage. The unique identification information embeddedwithin each tag (hereinafter referred to as the tag “ID”) is linked in aone-to-one relationship with a customer account through a collection ofcentralized databases that maintains a record of all the postal entity'sRFID stamps. A separate class of customer account databases contains thecustomer-sensitive billing information regarding RFID stamp services;this information is therefore not retrievable by postal employees whowould only access the databases related to service fulfillment. In apreferred embodiment, the unique association between the tag ID and thecustomer account number is recorded in an RFID stamp account database.

In an exemplary embodiment, as a mailpiece passes through the postalsystem, all details of its progress and handling are recorded in theRFID stamp event database. The subset of events directly related to theservice requested by the customer is also stored in a mailpiece historydatabase. When a customer presents a mailpiece with an “affixed” RFIDstamp, the postal entity records at an RFID-capable reception point thatthe item has “entered” the system. The item may then pass through otherdesignated nodes within the postal system where its transit can berecorded until it reaches the primary postal entity sorting facility.There, the necessary amount of postage is calculated and the postage feebilled to the customer account. The tag itself is then recorded as“cancelled” in the mailpiece history database so that it cannot berepeatedly used.

In accordance with the present invention, during processing, the postalentity may store a routing code in the mailpiece history database,associated with the tag ID, that may supplement or supplant the use ofrouting codes or barcodes printed on the mailpiece. In the exemplaryembodiments presented herein, the routing code recorded in the databasewill be referred to as “ZIP+4”, but it is to be understood that othercodes, such as international postal codes, may be used. Simultaneously,tracking information is automatically recorded in the RFID stamp eventdatabase. At subsequent nodes in the postal system, such as routing orprocessing, the path of the mailpiece can be recorded through delivery.

It is to be understood that an advantage of the present invention isthat the RFID stamp does not need to be literally affixed to the outsideof the mailpiece. Indeed, the RFID stamp may simply be disposedsomewhere inside the letter/package. The radio waves used to “read” thestamp will transmit through the enveloping material and, moreover, donot require a “line of sight” transmission. Thus, while this discussionmay refer to “affixing” postage to a mailpiece, this is to be understoodin its broadest terms as associating an RFID postage stamp with amailpiece in a one-to-one relationship.

Advantageously, the RFID stamp of the present invention can be read withthe mailpiece in any orientation during the automatic mail routingprocess. Also, if two or more mailpieces become stuck together inhandling, this condition may be easily detected by recognizing thepresence of two (or more) unique tag IDs. Furthermore, if ZIP+4 isrecorded by the customer in the RFID stamp databases, a postal employeeis no longer required to perform manual data entry to encode thedelivery point barcode on the mailpiece. Also, at several points in thejourney of a mailpiece, its RFID stamp can be interrogatedsimultaneously with many others at the same stage of processing, such aswhen a bag or a postal flat arrives at a sorting facility, or when agroup of mailpieces passes through the final route sort and is thendirected to its regional destination. Consistency checks can be made ateach interrogation point, to ensure that a mailpiece has not beenmisdirected. Such checks can improve service reliability withoutincreasing time or labor in handling the mail. These are considered tobe only exemplary instances in which the use of the inventive RFIDstamps improves the efficiency of the sorting process by a reduction inthe postal employee workload.

It is an advantage of the present invention that the postal entity mayelect to give a discount to postal account customers who enter ZIP+4information themselves. The postal entity may also offer postal accountcustomers a finer grained rate schedule for what are presentlyfixed-rate classes of service. For example, a first-class letter thatweighs significantly less than the maximum weight of one ounce could becharged less than the default first-class rate. This could discourageconsumers from sending the maximum weight of material per mailpiece atthe selected flat rate postage. Implementing this option would notreduce volume for the postal entity but could reduce gross weightcarried, thus leading to energy savings.

It is a further advantage of the present invention that a customeraccount database also stores a preferred customer “return address”, sothat if the mailpiece is undeliverable, the return address informationcan be retrieved by again reading the tag, retrieving the customeraccount number from the RFID stamp account database, and then findingthe associated address in the customer account database.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a customer may purchase oneor more RFID stamps and have them immediately “enabled” (that is, linkedwith his/her postal customer account number), providing both billing andreturn address information to set up a postal account if one does notalready exist. Upon purchase, each RFID stamp is immediatelyinterrogated to retrieve its unique tag ID, where the tag ID is thenstored in an RFID stamp database in association with the customer'spostal account number. As the RFID stamps are used, the necessarypostage is billed to the customer's postal account and the postal entityrecords the RFID stamp as “cancelled”. As a result, there is no need forthe customer to predetermine the proper amount of postage before mailingan item. In addition, various billing arrangements (e.g., third-partycredit card accounts) are possible.

In an alternative embodiment, a customer may purchase one or more“anonymous” RFID stamps and allow them to remain non-enabled (i.e., not‘enabled’ at time of purchase). This is a likely scenario at a retailpoint of sale. In the “anonymous” transaction, the purchased RFID stampsare not immediately associated with a customer account, but remain‘non-enabled’ and are useable only for their purchased face value(presumably, a first-class postage stamp). Such a purchase is likely insituations where an individual is purchasing stamps for others to use.If the RFID stamp is never enabled (i.e., never associated with anend-customer account), it merely retains its first-class value and isused in a conventional manner by the customer. In accordance with thepresent invention, an individual using an anonymous RFID stamp will havethe option, at any time prior to its deposit into the postal system, toenable the RFID stamp, linking its tag ID with her/his customer account(or if she/he does not have a pre-existing account, one may be created);at this point, the RFID stamp is no longer anonymous. When the postageis determined for the mailpiece to which said RFID stamp is “affixed”,an RFID reader will again interrogate the RFID stamp, retrieve the tagID and associated account number, and then query the customer accountdatabase to bill the proper customer account. The RFID stamp itself isthen recorded as “cancelled” by the postal entity.

In a preferred embodiment, a customer postal account number is stored ona personal customer device (referred to hereinafter as a ‘postal accountcard’ or PAC). The PAC information may be stored on a conventionalmagnetic strip, in an embedded RFID tag, as an optical barcode, or byother means known in the art. The customer may present the PAC when RFIDstamps are purchased, and/or at a later time when stamps are to beenabled, allowing the postal service to retrieve the proper customeraccount information (and thus, interrogate the customer account databaseto authorize the proper billing at the time of cancellation).

It is presumed that mail collection boxes could be equipped with RFIDreaders so as to allow for mailpieces containing non-enabled RFID stampsto be recorded as having entered the postal system by direct depositinto a collection box. In situations where a customer has a postalaccount card, that card may also be read by the collection box toretrieve the customer account number and allow the RFID stamp to beenabled by linking the tag ID with the retrieved customer accountnumber.

Additionally, at any time prior to a mailpiece entering the postalsystem, the customer may associate the ZIP+4 information of thedestination with the “affixed” RFID stamp by means of a variety ofinterfaces. This information is then linked with the tag ID in the RFIDstamp databases and thus eliminates the need for a postal worker tomanually enter the delivery point barcode on the mailpiece duringsorting operations.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the RFID stamps maybe used in a paired arrangement (hereinafter referred to as an A+Bpair), where a customer purchases an A+B pair with the tag IDs on eachRFID stamp in the pair being linked together by, for example, a specialnumbering system. The customer then uses the “A” RFID stamp to send afirst mailpiece, with the “B” RFID stamp included within the mailpieceand “affixed” to a reply envelope, in the form of a “self-addressedstamped envelope”. When the A+B RFID stamp pair is interrogated, thesystem will know to use RFID stamp “A” as the initial stamp and RFIDstamp “B” as the reply postage stamp. Advantageously, there is no needto write out the reply address since this information is already presentin the customer account database and can easily be linked to RFID stamp“B” when the reply envelope is mailed. The use of such an A+B RFID stamppair is applicable in various other situations, such as Business ReplyMail, or personal RSVP events.

In a generalization of this embodiment, an RFID stamp “A” may beassociated with a plurality of RFID stamps B1, . . . , Bn, each of whichfunctions as RFID stamp “B” above. An entity that expects regular,periodic mail from its correspondents (e.g., mortgage payments to abank, estimated tax payments to the IRS) could use this feature.

In a further embodiment, especially for high-volume mailers, an RFID “B”stamp may have a specialized tag ID that encodes the reply ZIP+4 toexpedite routing.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a comprehensive “eventdatabase” can be created and used to track the complete journey of eachRFID stamp, maintaining a database of each event in the service trailfrom customer purchase to delivery. In additional embodiments, databasescan be included to trace the manufacturing history of each RFID stampprior to purchase, as well as various inventory-related and retailevents; also, the postal service entity may “register” RFID stamps asthey are received from a manufacturer, to prevent counterfeit, and, inorder that they may be shipped without inadvertent cancellation,registered RFID stamps have no default value until “activated” throughthe postal entity.

The universe of RFID stamp data integrates traditionally segregatedpostal-entity products and service information into one data systemcombining customer-centric features with multi-level administrative datamining possibilities.

Other embodiments and features of the present invention will becomeapparent during the course of the following discussion and by referenceto the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary database architecture with common datafields arranged to support the use of RFID stamps in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2( a) is an arrangement illustrating various uses of RFID stamps inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2( b) is an illustration of recording detailed, on-going processinginformation in a comprehensive RFID stamp event database of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 contains a flowchart illustrating a sequence of exemplaryoperational states of the complete lifecycle of an RFID stamp inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a summary of the process of the RFID stamplifecycle state changes from manufacture to registration, as shown inFIG. 3, as presented in an exemplary supply chain;

FIG. 5( a) contains a flowchart showing the activation and purchaseportions of the lifecycle of an exemplary RFID stamp;

FIG. 5( b) is a flowchart of an exemplary activation routine, called bythe process shown in FIG. 5( a);

FIG. 6( a) contains a flowchart of a process for enabling of an RFIDstamp in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6( b) is flowchart of an exemplary enablement routine, called bythe process shown in FIG. 6( a);

FIG. 7( a) contains a flowchart illustrating a process of selectingpostal services associated with an RFID stamp in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 7( b) is a flowchart of an exemplary customer interface routinecalled by the process shown in FIG. 7( a);

FIG. 8 includes a flowchart illustrating an exemplary “specialinterrogation” routine, called from FIGS. 7( a), 9(a), 9(b) and 10(a)that may be used in implementing RFID stamps in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 9( a) illustrates postal entity processing, including recordingentry, of an RFID stamp associated with a deposited mailpiece, precedingbilling and cancellation, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9( b) is a flowchart of a routine for an exemplary postal entityrouting method, called by the process of FIGS. 9( a) and 10(a);

FIG. 9( c) is a flowchart of an exemplary pre-cancellation accountingroutine that may be called by the process of FIG. 9( a);

FIG. 10( a) contains a flowchart illustrating the final stages ofexemplary postal entity RFID stamp processing, including cancellationand delivery; and

FIG. 10( b) is a flowchart of an exemplary “return to sender” routinethat may be entered from the processes outlined in the flowchart ofFIGS. 9( a) and 10(a).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In general, radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automaticidentification method that relies on storing and remotely retrievingdata from a device referred to as an RFID “tag” or “transponder”. AnRFID tag comprises an object that may be applied to, or incorporated in,an element for the purpose of identification using radio waves. In thesystem of the present invention, the RFID tag takes the form of (forexample) a postage stamp, or an equivalent instrument authorizing adelivery service (hereinafter generally referred to as an “RFID stamp”for sake of simplicity). An RFID “reader” or “interrogator”, whenlocated within a predetermined distance of the tag (here, RFID stamp),will energize the tag/stamp to retrieve the stored data.

Most RFID tags comprise two elements: a processor module for storing thedata, and an antenna for receiving and transmitting an RF signal. Thesystem of the present invention utilizes so-called “passive” RFID tags;that is, tags that require no internal power supply since the tag isenergized by an RFID reader. In particular, the electrical currentinduced in the antenna by the incoming RF signal is sufficient topower-up the processor and transmit a response. Passive tags signal bybackscattering the carrier wave of the incoming RF signal. This requiresthat the antenna be designed to both collect power from the incomingsignal and also transmit the outbound scatter signal. For the purposesof the present invention, the data being transmitted is the unique IDinformation associated with a specific RFID tag (and in some specialcases, possibly the ZIP+4 of the mailpiece). Preferably, read-onlypassive RFID tags would be used in the present invention, sinceread-only tags are less expensive than writeable tags and writeable tagswould require a security infrastructure to prevent unauthorized dataalteration.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary database architecture with common datafields arranged to support the use of RFID stamps in accordance with thepresent invention. As mentioned above, the utilization of RFID stamps inaccordance with the present invention can eliminate the need forcustomers to predetermine postage fees (by instead billing anestablished customer account when the RFID stamp is used), provides areturn address should the mail be undeliverable and also aids inexpediting the routing of mail. Various other advantages of the presentinvention will be discussed hereinafter with reference to the followingdrawings.

In FIG. 1, a customer account database 10 is illustrated as forming anintegral part of the inventive system. An exemplary customer recordarrangement 12 of stored data is shown in conjunction with customeraccount database 10. Each customer record 12 includes the followingfields: an account number in field 12-1 (assigned by the RFID postalentity system of the present invention), the customer's name (field12-2), return address (field 12-3), billing address (field 12-4),billing type (field 12-5) and billing detail (field 12-6). It is to beunderstood that this particular configuration is exemplary only andvarious other arrangements of the customer account data may be used andstored in any other suitable arrangement within customer accountdatabase 10.

In this particular embodiment, the billing type field 12-5 may includethe values of “cash account”, “credit card”, “debit card”, or the like.The contents of the billing detail field 12-6 depend on the billingtype. If the billing type is “cash account”, a balance of the customer'saccount will be stored in billing detail field 12-6. In this mode, thecustomer will need to first deposit an amount set by the postal systemas an account balance which is thereafter debited as postal charges areincurred. Preferably, the system will monitor the account balance andalert the customer when the balance drops below a predeterminedthreshold (for example, below $10).

Alternatively, the system could automatically bill a credit or debitcard to maintain the account balance above a predetermined threshold; inthis case the billing detail will include the card number as well as thecash balance. Otherwise, if the “billing type” is a credit or debitcard, the billing detail field 12-6 will include the card accountnumber. Credit or debit card charges will appear on the bill generatedby the card issuer. The postal entity may use database 10 to issueperiodic statements to customers, and the postal entity may providemeans, such as a web portal, for customers to access their accountinformation.

Advantageously, all purchases of RFID stamps can be recorded in thedatabases of FIG. 1, even in the event of an “anonymous” purchase by theend customer, i.e., non-postal entity account or physical cashtransaction. The record of sale will be made through a retailer account.

Also shown in FIG. 1 is an exemplary RFID stamp mailpiece historydatabase 20. As described above, each RFID “stamp” is in actuality apassive RFID tag, having a unique tag ID number (hereinafter referred toas a “tag ID”). When brought into the vicinity of an RFID reader, theantenna within the passive RFID tag will energize the memory element inthe tag, retrieve the stored unique ID number and thereafter transmitthe unique tag ID number back to the RFID reader. RFID stamp mailpiecehistory database 20 of the present invention is used to record certainstatus changes in association with all RFID stamp tag IDs, as well asthe progress of RFID stamps as they pass through the postal system.

An exemplary record 22 that may be stored within database 20 is alsoshown in FIG. 1. Record 22 includes, as separate fields, the tag IDnumber (field 22-1), the destination ZIP+4 (field 22-2), the enablementstatus, i.e., times and locations of enablement, or “null” if not yetenabled (field 22-3), requested service class and any ancillary servicesas well as the time and location of the service requests (field 22-4),time and location of entry, i.e., first RFID interrogation by the postalentity (field 22-5), cancellation time and location, weight, charge forservices (field 22-6), and delivery time and location (field 22-7). Theoverall “status” of the RFID stamp is recorded in fields 22-3 through22-7. Other fields may be added to this exemplary record, e.g., arrivalat and departure from sorting facilities.

To ensure privacy of customer financial information, the records indatabase 10 and database 20 have no fields in common. An exemplary RFIDstamp account database 30 provides the linkage between them whenrequired, as discussed below. Exemplary RFID stamp account databaserecord arrangement 32 contains a tag ID (field 32-1) and a customeraccount number (field 32-2).

Additionally, FIG. 1 shows an exemplary RFID stamp event database 40that maintains a comprehensive record, indexed by tag ID, of all thepostal entity's RFID stamps. Exemplary record arrangement 42 includesthe tag ID in field 42-1, event time and location in field 42-2, theevent type in field 42-3, and event detail in field 42-4. Events thatmay be recorded include RFID stamp manufacture and delivery through thesupply chain, registration, activation, retail sale, enablement, andsteps in mailpiece handling. Some of these events result in changes inthe operational status of an RFID stamp. RFID stamp event database 40 isthe only place where all exemplary operational states are recorded.Information and control regarding certain states, such as registrationand activation, may be restricted to the postal entity administration.

Finally, databases 50 and 60 are also depicted in FIG. 1. Database 50 isassociated with a special postal customer account “card” used inaccordance with the present invention. The use of this special “card”will be discussed later. Databases 60 are third-party billing databases,not maintained by the postal entity, but with which the exemplary postalentity RFID stamp database system of FIG. 1 must interact for creditcard transactions and the like.

Databases 10 and 20 are essential to the inventive system architecture.Database 30 augments the method. In the exemplary database architectureof FIG. 1, database 30 interlocks databases 10, 20 and 40 in a mannerthat protects customer privacy. Database 40 further augments the methodto extend it to global tracking of the RFID stamp lifecycle and postalentity service data mining.

In order to discuss the information of FIG. 2( a), certain concepts andnotational conventions, in accordance with the present invention, willbe explained. In the exemplary data field entries in records 12, 22 and42 of FIGS. 2( a) and 2(b), event “times” are expressed as[month][day][year] (two digits each) followed by the local time[hour]:[minutes]:[seconds] with its offset in hours from Universal Time,and the term “location” takes on a variety of meanings depending on thecontext of its application in the data field. Types of locations includebut are not limited to: a retailer ID number; a telephone number or anInternet Protocol (IP) address, in the case of a customer-initiatedtransaction; a postal entity truck number and its Global SystemPositioning (GPS) coordinates at the time of the event; a postal entityID number tied to a postal facility such as a post office, a postalsorting facility, a sorting machine, a customer-facing kiosk, etc.

In an exemplary embodiment, an RFID stamp is assigned a selected defaultvalue, for example, first-class postage. This occurs when an RFID stampis “activated”. Once an RFID stamp has been activated, its status haschanged. It is now useable for postage and may be sold to the endcustomer. When it is activated, a record 32 is created in RFID stampaccount database 30, the record containing the tag ID in field 32-1 andthe seller's account number in field 32-2. Simultaneously, a record 22is created in mailpiece history database 20, the record containing thetag ID in field 22-1 and “1^(st)-class default prepaid”, as well as thetime and location of activation, in field 22-4. The location ofactivation corresponds to the retailer's “name” as it appears in field12-2 of the seller's corresponding account record 12 in customer accountdatabase 10. Also, “prepaid” is recorded as the billing type in field12-5. Upon activation, the retailer has purchased the RFID stamp, asrecorded in field 12-6. The activation and subsequent sale to the endcustomer are simultaneously recorded in exemplary RFID stamp eventdatabase 40. It is possible for the retailer to sell RFID stamps to acustomer who does not have a registered postal account, e.g., a simplecash purchase. This is one example of an anonymous purchase. In such acase, the stamps can only be traced back to the point-of-sale retailer.

When enablement occurs, the customer must provide his/her customeraccount number so that the proper correlation of tag ID number andcustomer account can be made. This will allow the postal entity to billpostage at the time of future services rendered. The tag ID is looked upin RFID stamp account database 30, and the customer account is writteninto field 32-2, replacing the seller's authorized retailer account.Completing this transaction, the customer account is credited with theRFID stamp's default value, in field 12-6 of record 12. The enablementevent is a status change and is also recorded in database 40, record 42,field 42-3. Significantly, at this time, record 22 in mailpiece historydatabase 20 is updated to contain the time and place of enablement infield 22-3; the destination ZIP+4 may also be entered (in field 22-2) ifthe customer chooses. Anyone can use RFID stamps with full legacypostage capabilities without having a registered postal account. But,RFID stamps have capabilities beyond legacy postage stamps or legacymetered postage, and the customer needs to enable an RFID stamp throughan account to make full use of its latent powers. Otherwise, the RFIDstamp retains the chosen default value selected at the time of itspurchase.

Later, after the customer “affixes” an enabled RFID stamp on/in an itemto be mailed, an RFID reader at a postal facility will interrogate thestamp and retrieve its tag ID. The item will be weighed and its postagecalculated in accordance with the postal entity's protocols. Using thetag ID, the postal facility will query mailpiece history database 20 andretrieve a matching record 22; the weight and postage will be enteredinto field 22-6. The postal facility will again use the tag ID tointerrogate RFID stamp account database 30 to retrieve the propercustomer account number. The postal facility will then access customeraccount database 10, using the customer account number and bill theappropriate customer record 12 for the calculated postage. The postalentity processing events are likewise recorded in RFID stamp eventdatabase 40. The RFID stamp event database is a “write-once” database;events are added, but no data is ever replaced.

It is an advantage of the present invention that the sensitive dataregarding a customer's billing information is maintained in a databaseseparate from the RFID stamp account database (as well as any otherdatabase which may be included in the RFID system of the presentinvention), significantly reducing the possibility of this informationbeing compromised. Furthermore, no sensitive information is derivablefrom the RFID tag ID without access to a postal entity database. Hencethe tag ID may be freely transmitted as necessary, in the clear, duringmail handling operations.

Four exemplary uses of RFID stamps of the present invention areillustrated in the diagram of FIG. 2( a) based upon the exemplarynetwork of databases as described above in association with FIG. 1. Thisexample will focus on a customer, “John Doe”, who has purchased, usingpocket change, a set of four RFID stamps 100, paying the defaultfirst-class postage rate for each one to the retailer. This is anexample of an anonymous purchase. The time, place of purchase and valueare recorded in RFID stamp event database 40. In this exemplaryembodiment, the only permanent record of the anonymous sale, from thepostal entity's point of view, is in database 40. The retailer purchaseand activation of the stamps is not shown in FIG. 2( a) although it isavailable to her/him under her/his own account number in her/his ownrecord 12. For the purposes of this example, John Doe uses stamp 100-1for its default value, and “enables” the remainder, one of which (stamp100-2) he will use to send an “Express Mail” package.

At the time of activation, a record 22 was created by the retailer foreach of the four stamps in mailpiece history database 20, the recordcontaining the tag ID in field 22-1 and “1^(st)-class default prepaid”,along with the time and place of activation, in field 22-4.Simultaneously, a record 32 was also created for each stamp in RFIDstamp account database 30, linking each tag ID in field 32-1 with theauthorized retailer account in field 32-2. This is shown in the record32 for stamp 100-1 in FIG. 2( a), where field 32-2 is linked to anauthorized retailer account in record 12 of account database 10 (accountno. 02468AZ), but in the case of stamps 100-2, 100-3 and 100-4, theauthorized retailer account number has been overwritten because John Doeenabled them after purchase. The retailer activation information waswritten in RFID stamp event database 40 (see FIG. 2( b)) for all fourRFID stamps as well. The information in records 12, 22 and 32 can becombined to produce an itemized bill of each stamp activated by theretailer.

A stamp is not useable until all the information mentioned aboveregarding activation is present in databases 20 and 30. Sometime soonafter stamp 100-1 is deposited into the mail system, it is read by anRFID reader (RFID reader device not shown in FIG. 2( a) for stamp100-1), and its tag ID is correlated with the record in mailpiecehistory database 20 that contains “1^(st)-class default prepaid” infield 22-4. The match indicates to the system that the RFID stamp isauthentic and has been activated (a stolen RFID stamp can be detectedand flagged).

Given that the RFID stamp is valid, the system examines other fields inrecord 22. In the case of stamp 100-1, field 22-2 at this moment in theprocessing is still empty because the ZIP+4 code has not yet beenentered, and field 22-3 is blank since the RFID stamp has not beenenabled. Next, as shown in FIG. 2( a), the system updates record 22 inmailpiece history database 20 containing the tag ID “100-1” in field22-1 with the time of entry in field 22-5. In subsequent processing bythe postal entity of the mailpiece to which tag “100-1” is “affixed”,the delivery ZIP+4 will be entered in field 22-2 (by the postal entity),and the mailpiece's weight, time and location of cancellation will beentered in field 22-6. The charge is recorded as “default” in field22-6, since this is a “default value” stamp. In this example, themailpiece satisfied the requirements for “first-class letter” serviceand field 22-7 shows that it has been delivered. Fields 22-5 and 22-7show the carrier truck on which the item was transported, and the timeand location of handling.

To summarize, record 22 in FIG. 2( a) shows information for tag ID“100-1” in all status fields 22-3 through 22-7, namely, the stamp wasnot enabled (22-3), default first-class letter service was selected whenthe RFID stamp was activated (22-4), the mailpiece entered the system(22-5), the stamp was cancelled (22-6), and the mailpiece has beendelivered (22-7). Note that the information in fields 22-5, 22-6 and22-7 all results from RFID interrogations. Likewise, all of theinformation recorded about RFID stamp 100-1 in databases 10, 20 and 30is simultaneously recorded, atomically, in record 42 of RFID stamp eventdatabase 40. The detailed description can be seen in FIG. 2( b).

In order to discuss the customer's (John Doe's) use of the remainingthree RFID stamps that were purchased with cash, it is necessary to knowthat he also had previously established a “cash account” (account no.76543) in which he maintains a balance with the inventive postalservice. His specific customer account record 12 (shown in FIG. 2( a))from database 10 was created when the account was established. Hisaccount number is in field 12-1 and his name is in field 12-2. Billingtype field 12-5 indicates “cash account” and billing data field 12-6shows an initial account balance of $150.

When John Doe wishes to enable stamps 100-2, 100-3 and 100-4, he has hispersonal customer account number linked to their tag IDs in RFID stampaccount database 30. The details of various of exemplary methods ofenablement will be presented later. In any case, when John Doe enableshis anonymously-purchased RFID stamps, his customer account numberoverwrites the retailer's account number that was recorded in field 32-2when these stamps were activated by the retailer, and Doe's account getsa $0.44 credit per stamp, a total of $1.32 as shown in FIG. 2( a) infield 12-6 of record 12. Also, for each enabled tag ID, the event,“Enabled”, appears in field 42-3 and the credit of $0.44 appears infield 42-4 (see FIG. 2( b)). Time and location, in this case, the onlineIP address of John Doe's transactions, are also recorded in records 12and 42. This updated information in record 12 appears as a consequenceof Doe changing his anonymous ownership of the stamp to one associatedwith a postal entity account.

The portion of database 30 storing the updated information is also shownin FIG. 2( a). This process ensures that a tag ID appears at most oncein stamp account database 30, avoiding any ambiguity in how the stampmay be billed. The update events are all recorded in a record 42 inevent database 40 (see FIGS. 1, 2(a) and 2(b)). All prior history of thetags is unchanged and retrievable from records 42 in event database 40(see FIG. 2( b)), even though this information has been overwritten instamp account database 30. Simultaneously with the updating of database30, the records 22 of the tag ID numbers 100-2, 100-3 and 100-4 inmailpiece history database 20 are updated, as shown in FIG. 2( a),recording the time and location of enablement in field 22-3.

In the exemplary scenario above, John Doe enables his three RFID stampsvia a non-postal entity IP connection. It is to be understood that hecould also enable his RFID stamps at a postal entity customer facingfacility. But, as will be demonstrated on later flowcharts, enablementand the “affixing” of an RFID stamp on an associated mailpiece may occurin either order and at any time from the time the customeractivates/purchases the RFID stamp up until the item is deposited at apostal entity receptacle.

Continuing with an explanation of the inventive process, John Doeproceeds to “affix” the enabled RFID stamp 100-2 to an item 202 to bemailed. In the present example, it is presumed that John Doe has chosena service class of “Express Mail”, as indicated in field 22-4 shown inFIG. 2( a). This service choice overwrites the initialfirst-class-default choice. He then takes item 202 to a postal facility301, and presents it at a kiosk 311 equipped with an RFID reader 321,where item 202 enters the system, as shown in field 22-5. Later, duringprocessing, item 202 is read by RFID reader 322 (but possibly at adifferent postal facility 302, as in FIG. 2( a)), and the postage foritem 202 is calculated based on the weight of the item, dimensions,class of service, and the like. For the purposes of the presentinvention it is presumed that item 202 is an “Express Mail” package witha postage fee of $17.30. Advantageously, the present invention makes the“Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope” obsolete, since the postage can bebilled automatically and precisely for each mailpiece.

In accordance with the present invention, John Doe is billed for thispostage through the RFID stamp 100-2 associated tag ID that wasretrieved at the postal entity RFID reader 322. Using this tag ID,“100-2”, the postal system queries mailpiece history database 20 andretrieves the matching record. At this moment, the system recognizesthat RFID stamp 100-2 has been enabled (field 22-3), but not cancelled.It then proceeds to query RFID stamp account database 30 and retrievesJohn Doe's account number (in this example, shown as 76543). The systemaccesses customer account database 10 using this account number,retrieving John Doe's account information and debiting his cash balance$17.30. Record 12-6 also shows that the account was credited $1.32 whenJohn Doe enabled the three RFID stamps. This results in an accountbalance of $134.02. RFID stamp database 20 is again accessed once thetransaction has been completed, and the cancellation of RFID stamp 100-2is recorded in field 22-6 as indicated in FIG. 2( a). All of thesetransactions in databases 10, 20, 30 and 40 are atomic. In this example,item 202 is delivered. In the present embodiment, the delivery date andtime, truck number and GPS coordinates are recorded in field 22-7 bymeans of an RFID reader at the truck.

However, had item 202 turned out to be “undeliverable”, RFID stamp 100-2could be read again, the tag ID retrieved and used to ultimately accessthe customer account record 12 in database 10 in order to find JohnDoe's return address and properly return item 202. The ZIP+4 of JohnDoe's return address would overwrite the destination ZIP+4 in field 22-2of record 22. If the return address is not already present on theenvelope, it could be printed from the information in record 12. Thiscapability should reduce the incidence of “dead” letters.Advantageously, the postal entity is able to automatically charge forreturning an item with an enabled RFID stamp; an extra charge could beimposed for having to print the return address. The postal entity mayaugment the original class-of-service field 22-4 with an undeliverablemail endorsement and assign a new charge in field 12-6 of record 12. Allthese database transactions are also recorded in database 40.

In the exemplary embodiment of customer record 12 shown in FIG. 2( a),both the calculated postage (in this case $17.30 for an Express Mailflat rate envelope) and account balance information are stored and canlater be retrieved by the customer for audit or other purposes.Furthermore, the postal entity may provide the customer with means (suchas a web server) for determining the status of item 202 in record 22,given its tag ID; if status reporting is not included in a mailpiece'sclass of service, the postal entity could impose a charge for it at thetime such a report was made. Also, as an alternative to debiting apostal “cash account”, a customer's credit card information (or otherthird-party billing means) may be stored in customer account database10, and a charge created for each postage transaction, this charge isthen transmitted to a third-party billing database (shown in FIG. 1 asdatabase 60) associated with the customer. Complete and continuousdatabase updates and service-related events concerning RFID stamp 100-2are also recorded in record 42 of RFID stamp event database 40 (see FIG.2( b)).

As a further illustration of features of the inventive RFID postagestamp system, John Doe selects special services and handling for an itemto be mailed using enabled RFID stamp 100-3. Using the postal entity'sweb portal, he chooses insured, priority mail, and requests home pickup;this information is recorded in field 22-4 of database 20 (see FIG. 2(a)). Advantageously, his home address is known to the postal entitythrough database 10 and since stamp 100-3 has been enabled, themailpiece can be accepted without first being weighed. In addition, Doeis able to provide the destination zip code for his mailpiece (thisinformation being recorded in field 22-2 of database 20 as shown in FIG.2( a)), saving labor for the postal entity for which John Doe may begiven a discount. The mailpiece is picked up and enters the postalsystem when it is read at an RFID-reader-equipped postal entity truck,as recorded in field 22-5 of database 20. The mailpiece can be tracedfrom this point forward, even though the mailpiece has not yet passedthrough the weighing and sorting facility, and no charges have yet beenincurred. The detailed history of RFID stamp 100-3 can be found in thecorresponding record 42 of database 40 (see FIG. 2( b)).

When the customer deposits a mailpiece, i.e., relinquishes it into thecontrol of the postal entity, that moment is not necessarily recorded inthe databases. Rather, the first time the RFID stamp “affixed” to adeposited item is interrogated by a postal entity RFID reader isrecorded as “entry” into the postal system. In these examples, therehave been several venues for entry. Venues include but are not limitedto presentation at a postal-entity RFID-reader-equipped service counter,deposit at an RFID-enabled mailbox/kiosk, pickup by a letter carrierwith a hand-held RFID reader or at the carrier's RFID-reader-enabledmail truck. If the postal-entity RFID reader is not associated with afixed facility, the location of the reception point may be recordedusing GPS coordinates.

To conclude the discussion of RFID stamps 100-1 through 100-4, John Doewishes to give a non-enabled stamp to Jane Smith, but his remaining RFIDstamp 100-4 is still enabled. Accordingly, he uses the postal entity'sweb portal to disable RFID stamp 100-4, at which time it reverts to itsdefault first-class value; its enablement field 22-3 in record 22 iscleared, an event of type “disabled” is recorded in record 42 ofdatabase 40 (see FIG. 2( b)), $0.44 is debited from Doe's account infield 12-6 of record 12, while field 32-2 of record 32 remains JohnDoe's account number. Doe then gives RFID stamp 100-4 to Smith, whosubsequently accesses the postal entity's web portal from her owncomputer to enable RFID stamp 100-4 to her own postal account; the timeand place of the new enablement are written into the currently emptyfield 22-3 of record 22. Smith's account is entered into field 32-2 ofrecord 32 (overwriting Doe's account). Smith's account is credited $0.44in field 12-6 of record 12, and an event of type “enabled” is recordedin record 42 of database 40 (see FIG. 2( b)). Note that the originalanonymous cash purchase information pertaining to RFID stamp 100-4 andall changes of its status are still available in record 42. The finalstate of RFID stamp 100-4 is shown in records 22 and 32 in FIG. 2( a).

In this exemplary embodiment, certain fields of records 22 and 32, inmailpiece history database 20 and in RFID stamp account database 30,respectively, are overwritten to reflect the current status of the RFIDstamp and any associated mailpiece. Nevertheless, the previous contentof these fields can still be recovered from record 42 of RFID stampevent database 40 (see FIG. 2( b)). Database 40 is a continuous journalof all events pertaining to an RFID stamp, beginning with itsmanufacture. Event types include, but are not limited to: manufacture,shipment to a distribution center, registration with the postal system,shipment to an authorized retailer, reception by an authorized retailer,activation by a retailer and purchase by an end-user. These events areshown in FIG. 2( b), along with the other service-related events thathave been discussed above. In particular, record 42 of RFID stamp 100-4shows its original anonymous purchase, enablement, disablement, andsubsequent re-enablement. Other events that the postal entity may finduseful for service and process monitoring include, but are not limitedto, reception at, and dispatch from, a regional postal facility; andprocessing by sorting equipment.

Since RFID tags can be automatically read as they pass by postal entityRFID readers, it is possible (without additional labor) to trace mail inboth space and time as it passes through the postal system fromcollection box to truck, to post office, to sorting equipment, to asecond truck for further transportation, etc., until it leaves theletter carrier truck for final delivery. A separate RFID stamp eventdatabase has been created and may be used to store this information.Record 42 contains multiple, sequential fields of timestamps and taglocation information (in GPS form, for example). With this information,it is therefore possible to track the progress of the stamp from (forexample) time of enablement until cancellation. Furthermore, for thebenefit of postal entity service management, a more extensive history oftransport and routing events could be kept in database 40 than indatabase 20. Indeed, since each RFID stamp includes a unique tag ID, anyevent associated with a stamp can be recorded from the time the IDnumber is first encoded within the stamp.

It is also to be noted that RFID stamps on multiple mailpieces can beread simultaneously without having to be individually scanned. Thus, anentire bin or tray of mailpieces can be interrogated and the dataretrieved in an efficient manner. “Sanity” checks are possible at eachstage in the delivery process, where close tracking may improvereliability without increasing labor costs. Moreover, any suspiciousletter or package can be instantly traced through the mailpiece'sassociated RFID stamp tag ID(s) in its (their) record(s) 42 back to theitem's point of origin (even if its declared “return address” isfraudulent). Data mining possibilities for the postal service arenumerous.

It is obvious from the above discussion that a critical element in theprocess of utilizing RFID stamps in accordance with the presentinvention is the ability to properly link each RFID stamp with theproper customer account (e.g., in order to perform the “enablement”operation). In a straightforward fashion, if a customer knows her/hisaccount number, the enablement process may proceed either byinterrogating the RFID stamp with an RFID reader or by providing its tagID through other means, and then recording both this tag ID and thecustomer account number in RFID stamp account database 30. It isunrealistic that most customers will memorize their postal accountnumber or even desire to try to remember this number.

Therefore, in further accordance with the present invention, a postalaccount card (or key fob or other suitable device) may be created foreach customer, with the customer's account number embedded magneticallyor stored as yet a different passive RFID tag, in much the same way as abank card, discount card or the like. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplarypostal account card (PAC) database 50 which may be created and used inconjunction with previously-described databases 10, 20 and 30 tosimplify the utilization of RFID stamps in accordance with the presentinvention. An exemplary record 52 from database 50 is shown in FIG. 1 asincluding a PAC ID number (that is, a number stored on the card itself)in field 52-1, the associated customer account number in field 52-2 and,perhaps, a “hash” of a customer PIN number associated with the customeraccount number in field 52-3 (the use of a PIN number is considered toadd another layer of security to the postal billing system). Record 52also stores, in field 52-4, the number of PAC cards associated with thepostal account number in field 52-2. This allows a postal account tohave a plurality of PAC cards associated with it. For instance, abusiness may use this feature to give PAC cards, each with its own PACID, to its employees who send mail on the company's postal account. Inthis embodiment, a subset of the digits of the PAC ID may serve as asequence number which must be less than or equal to the number of PACcards stored in field 52-4.

Thus, when the customer uses his/her PAC to enable one or more RFIDstamps, he/she may simply present his/her fob to a reader, ‘swipe’his/her card or the like, and enter a PIN number (if used). The systemperforms a search of PAC database 50 using the retrieved PAC ID numberand finds the proper customer record 52. As a security check, a hash isperformed on the PIN number supplied by the customer and compared to thehash value stored in field 52-3. If these match, the process thenretrieves the customer account number from field 52-2 and continues toperform the exemplary “enablement” steps as outlined above in thediscussion of RFID stamps 100-2, 100-3 and 100-4. Use of a PAC will berecorded as a billing detail in field 12-6 of record 12. In the exampleof customer Jane Smith, her billing detail field 12-6 indicates that shehas tied her PAC card to a third-party billing account. In this example,RFID stamp 100-4 has been enabled, but has not yet been utilized, sofield 12-6 shows a first-class-default credit of $0.44, the value ofJohn Doe's original anonymous purchase of 100-4. In general, apostal-entity RFID-reader-equipped facility could simultaneously readRFID stamp tag IDs as well as the customer's RFID based PAC card, thusadvantageously expediting the association of the account with the stamptransactions for the customer.

In another embodiment of the present invention, it is contemplated thata kiosk-type arrangement with an RFID reader may be used for data entryby a customer. For example, a customer may “affix” an RFID postage stampto a mailpiece, address the mailpiece and bring it into the vicinity ofthe RFID reader on the mailbox/kiosk, where the RFID reader interrogatesthe tag and determines its ID number. The mailbox may include a keypadallowing the customer to enable the RFID stamp (using her/his PAC card,for example), select services (such as express delivery, insurance,etc.) and enter the ZIP+4 information to be associated with themailpiece. In this case, the ZIP+4 information is stored in a separatefield in the specific record for that tag ID (see field 22-2 in record22 of database 20). By having the customer include the ZIP+4 informationin a linked fashion with the tag ID, this information can beautomatically retrieved at the postal entity facility without the needfor a postal entity employee to perform the repetitive data entry taskassociated with entering the ZIP+4 information. Following serviceselection and any supplementary data submitted at the mailbox/kiosk, thecustomer may deposit the mailpiece, at which time the RFID reader on themailbox/kiosk may record, in field 22-5 of record 22, the mailpiece'sentry into the system.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the RFID stampsof the present invention may be included on commonly-purchased envelopesor packaging (e.g., greeting cards, business envelopes, businesspackaging, and the like), being in their initial “non-enabled” state.The sale price of such items may include the default value of theembedded RFID stamp, or, in the case of certain items such as largegreeting cards, the amount of required extra postage may be included ifknown. The purchaser may then at any later time enable any stamp asneeded (where, as each one is enabled, its tag ID and the purchaser'saccount information are stored in RFID stamp account database 30). Ifone or more of the stamps are never enabled, they will retain theirdefault value (e.g., that of a “first class” stamp).

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the RFID postagestamps may be purchased in “pairs” that will be linked together in thedatabase system after entry during processing by the postal entity. Inthis case, the first stamp in the pair (defined as stamp A) is used asthe initial postage for a mailpiece sent to a recipient. The secondstamp (stamp B) is included within the mailpiece, perhaps attached aspostage on a ‘self-addressed stamped envelope’. The “B” stamp tag ID maycontain a distinct pattern, e.g., a specific prefix, that distinguishesit from an “A” stamp tag ID or any other RFID stamp category. Since bothstamps will be detected by an RFID reader upon mailing, the specificindication of it being an A+B pair will automatically cause the systemto use the “A” stamp for the initial postage value, and it alone will beentered, canceled, etc. at that time and the “B” stamp will be marked(in its record 22) as having been seen with the carrier “A” stamp;thereafter the “B” stamp may be used for the reply postage. Inasmuch asthe “B” stamp is already associated with the customer's reply address,the address with the destination ZIP+4 on the reply envelope could bepre-printed automatically based on information fetched through the RFIDstamp tag ID as a special service of the postal entity. When the “B”stamp is utilized separately on a mailpiece its tag ID will prevent theuse for anything but the “B” stamp purchaser's chosen reply. The “B”stamp may or may not be enabled. A non-enabled first-class-default “B”stamp would be appropriate for ordinary correspondence but an enabled“B” stamp could handle return merchandise, of undetermined weight, to amail-order retailer, for example.

In a generalization of this embodiment, the “A” stamp may be placed on amailpiece in which a plurality of “B” stamps B1, . . . , Bn, each ofwhich functions as reply postage, are enclosed. For example, thisfeature could be used by a business that solicits periodic reply mailfrom its customers (e.g., a bank receiving mortgage payments).

In discussing the present invention, the examples have focused on theretail consumer, for whom it is appropriate that a non-enabled RFIDstamp have a default first-class value. In another embodiment, it ispossible that other entities, such as businesses, non-profitorganizations, or government agencies, may utilize RFID stamps withspecialized default values, such as bulk rate, first-class presorted,etc. In a further optimization, businesses with large volumes of replymail could arrange for the production of specially formatted ZIP+4 RFIDtag “B” stamps to aid in expediting routing of reply mail. Such “superB” RFID stamps may be sold though special sales channels, and havespecial service classes that may be shown in field 22-4 of record 22 andin record 12 (see FIG. 2( a)). For example, the service class“first-class presorted” would be recorded in field 22-4 of record 22,and the billing detail 12-6 may be “first-class presorted default$0.335”. More generally, specially formatted RFID stamp tag IDs may aidin handling of special classes of mail such as congressional mail. SuchRFID stamps may have a special code within their RFID tag IDs.

Furthermore, the postal entity may allow businesses, through purchase ofa permit, to obtain RFID stamps with no default value, the default valuewould be applied later when activated. The customer name 12-1 of record12 may include the permit number. An RFID stamp with no default value,that is not associated with a postal account (hence, not enabled) is“inactive”. An RFID stamp must be activated (at a default value) priorto being used or enabled. Advantageously, limited enablement (i.e., upto a maximum charge) may be supported (e.g., an RFID stamp could beenabled for merchandise return, but only for a weight not exceeding thatof the items shipped originally). This would allow a business to improvecash flow by paying for postage only as it is used.

In another example, a charity or non-profit organization may utilize theA+B1, . . . , Bn embodiment discussed above to send a packet (charged tothe “A” stamp) containing a plurality of reply-postage-stamped envelopes(i.e., containing “B” stamps) to a distribution point, such as a houseof worship, and later, only those reply envelopes used would be chargedto the charity/non-profit, at their special permit rate.

Non-activated RFID stamps, i.e., non-enabled with no default value, cansafely be mailed (inside a package) through the inventive RFID postalsystem. This allows authorized retailers or the postal entity itself tomail stamps, perhaps as part of a more extensive service. For example, aprinter could prepare wedding invitations with RSVP inserts for acustomer, providing each invitation and its insert with an A+B stamppair as described above; the A+B pairs are not activated, having nodefault value, so the print job can be mailed to the customer. Theprinter could provide the customer with an authorization code, so thatwhen the print job is received, the customer can, via the postalentity's website, claim ownership of the enclosed RFID stamps andactivate them. At least two billing options are available. The customercould have prepaid first-class postage to the printer, the printerforwarding the postage to the postal entity, or the customer could becharged directly through his/her postal account when the invitationsand, later, the RSVPs are cancelled. In both cases, the tag IDs of the“A” and the “B” stamps appear in field 32-1 of record 32 in associationwith the customer's postal account number in field 32-2. Hence thereturn address for the “B” stamps will be taken from the customer'spostal account record 12 and the RSVPs will return to the customer andnot to the printer. Other arrangements for activation and billing arepossible, but, in general, “A+B” sets and “B” stamps cannot be solddirectly to clients without a registered postal entity account. In otherwords, “A+B” sets cannot be sold to an “anonymous” customer.

In the event that the customer has special mail delivery requirementssuch as change of address or temporary forwarding of her/his mail, it ispresumed that the information in the customer's account record 12 may beupdated through means provided by the postal entity, such as a webportal. Endorsements for such special requests may be automaticallyprinted on mailpieces destined for said customer. In a similar vein,means are provided by the postal entity for the customer to updateaccount information such as billing address, credit or debit cardnumbers, etc., as needed.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention have up to now beendescribed from a customer-centric point of view. A more system-centric,operational, point of view follows. The life cycle of an RFID stampbegins long before it reaches the end user. In an exemplary embodiment,RFID stamps are ordered by the postal entity from one or moremanufacturers, their tag IDs established by a common agreement. Freshlymanufactured RFID stamps become known to the system upon creation oftheir records 42 in RFID stamp event database 40 (see FIG. 2( b)), butat this point they have not been registered nor activated and they haveno monetary value. Thus they may pass through the supply chain to aretailer or other distribution point without being inadvertentlycancelled, and without risking theft of valid RFID stamps, as per theembodiment concerning shipment of non-activated no-default-value RFIDstamps.

At some point the postal entity “registers” the RFID stamps into itsinventory. Registration is an event that is recorded in records 42 (seeFIG. 2( b)). This may be after the RFID stamps are received at thepostal entity's warehouse, or upon notice that the RFID stamps have beenshipped from the manufacturer directly to an authorized third-partydistributor or retailer. Finally, in order for the RFID stamps to becomeuseable, they must be “activated” at their agreed face value (i.e.,“franked”, in most cases for the first-class default value) by thepostal entity.

Upon activation, the party in possession, e.g., the retailer, isobligated to pay the agreed face value of the RFID stamps, and records32 may be created in RFID stamp account database 30 with the tag IDs infields 32-1 and the authorized retailer account in fields 32-2. This isthe first time that the tag IDs appear in association with an accountnumber. Simultaneously, records 22 are created in mailpiece historydatabase 20 containing the tag IDs in fields 22-1, with the selecteddefault service class and the time and location of activation stored infields 22-4. The activation events are also recorded in records 42.

A sequence of exemplary operational states of the complete lifecycle ofan RFID stamp is given in FIG. 3. The essential pre-purchase states inthe RFID stamp lifecycle include, but are not limited to, MANUFACTURE(state 310), REGISTRATION (state 320) and ACTIVATION (state 330). Theyoccur separately in this exemplary embodiment, but two or more of themcould occur simultaneously in alternative embodiments. These statesalong with their associated database records were introduced above andshown in field 42-3 of FIG. 2( b). In state 340, the RFID stamp PURCHASEis made by a customer (a retailer or an end user), who may decide toENABLE the RFID stamp in state 350. In state 360, the ENTRY of an RFIDstamp with its associated mailpiece is recorded when the item hasphysically entered the postal system. This record is made at the time ofthe first RFID interrogation by the postal entity. It is not necessarilythe same as the time of physical deposit of the mailpiece. State 370occurs at the CANCELLATION of the RFID stamp. State 380 is the DELIVERYto the addressee; this is equivalent to the mailpiece's exit from thepostal system.

A summary of the process of the lifecycle state changes from manufactureto registration, shown in FIG. 3, is presented in an exemplary supplychain in FIG. 4. The RFID stamps are manufactured in step 410, and theirtag IDs are stored in inventory management databases shared between themanufacturer and the postal entity administration (step 411). In step413 the postal entity administration creates, for each tag ID, a record42 in RFID stamp event database 40, storing an event of typeMANUFACTURE. These RFID stamps are now known to the postal entity (seeFIG. 2( b). The new stamps may be drop-shipped directly to a retailer(decision 415); in this case, the manufacturer interrogates the tags(step 417) and transmits the list of tested tag IDs to the postal entityadministration (step 419), who updates each tag's record 42 with anevent of type REGISTRATION in step 421 (see FIG. 2( b)); the tags arethen shipped to a retailer in step 426. Otherwise, the RFID stamps willbe shipped to the postal entity distribution center in step 416, and thepostal entity will interrogate the stamps (step 418) and register themin the manner described above (step 420).

Shipment of a tag from the manufacturer (step 416 or 426) may berecorded in the both of the inventory databases, as well as recorded asa “shipment” event in record 42 of the postal entity's database 40 (seeFIG. 2( b)). REGISTRATION (in step 420 or 421) serves as confirmationthat each RFID stamp in the inventory database actually functions andhas been shipped as promised by the manufacturer. Advantageously, theRFID stamps may be interrogated in bulk. At decision 424, the postalentity may either ship directly to an enrolled consumer in step 429, orto an authorized retailer in step 426 (a “retailer” may be apostal-entity retail venue). Shipment of a tag from the postal entity(step 429) may be recorded as a “shipment” event in record 42 of thepostal entity's database 40 (see FIG. 2( b)); this information isunlikely to be shared with the manufacturer. An “enrolled customer” is aconsumer who has a valid postal account. In all cases, shipping mayemploy the exemplary A+B1, . . . , Bn non-activated no-default-valueRFID stamp embodiment. Newly issued RFID stamps have no face value, andtherefore cannot be used for postage, until the retailer or clientacknowledges delivery and activates them through the postal entity.

The lifecycle of an exemplary RFID stamp continues in FIG. 5( a) withexemplary choices for activation ending in the purchase of RFID stamps.The exemplary atomic process of activation is detailed on FIG. 5( b).Recall that there were two classes of shipment at the end of FIG. 4,ship to an authorized retailer and the postal entity ships directly toan enrolled end consumer. If the RFID stamps were shipped directly tothe end customer, the logical thread enters at step 536 and proceeds todecision 537 where the end customer chooses whether or not to prepay theRFID stamps' chosen default value when activating them per the codereceived with delivery; if yes, ACTIVATION of the stamps occurs withprepayment in step 538 (per routine in FIG. 5( b)), otherwise,ACTIVATION proceeds with deferred billing in step 539 (per routine inFIG. 5( b)). ACTIVATION by the end customer can only occur after receiptto prevent premature cancellation of the stamps. In either case, theprocess continues via the labeled connector P to step 569 on FIG. 5( a)where record 42 is updated with a PURCHASE event by the RFID stamp tagID and this thread then flows off the figure in step 571, following thepath for “PURCHASE through end-customer postal account”. In thisembodiment, a direct-ship consumer cannot be anonymous.

For the case of the RFID stamps shipped to an authorized retailer(including a retail venue belonging to the postal entity), the threadenters in step 526 and proceeds to decision 527 where any furtherdistribution and shipping steps may take place, such intermediateshipping steps being recorded on record 42, although not indicated onthe flowchart. When the RFID stamps have reached their finaldestination, the retailer chooses at decision 528 whether or not toactivate the RFID stamps prior to sale. If not, the next choice is atdecision 530, where the sale is determined to be anonymous or not.

An anonymous sale is not limited to a cash sale. It may include a salemade on any credit or debit card not enrolled in a postal entityaccount, yet honored by the retailer. If the sale is to be on a postalaccount (i.e., not anonymous), the thread proceeds to decision 531 wherethe customer may enroll in a postal account if he/she does not alreadyhave one. If an account does not exist, the customer provides his/herbilling and return address information in step 532, and in step 533, anew customer account record 12 is created with his/her newly assignedaccount number.

Once the postal account has been created (or, alternatively, if thecustomer had a pre-existing postal account), the next step is 534, whereshipment of the RFID stamps to the customer may be requested. Ifrequested, shipment takes place in step 535 and proceeds to decision537. Shipment of a tag from a retailer (step 535) may be recorded as a“shipment” event in record 42 of the postal entity's database 40 (seeFIGS. 2( b)). Otherwise, if no shipping is required, the thread proceedsdirectly to decision 537. At decision 537 the thread continues withchoices—pre-paid or deferred billing—for ACTIVATION (step 538 or step539) as for the direct-ship customer discussed above.

Returning to the alternative decision at step 530, where the sale isanonymous, the thread proceeds to decision 540. Here shipment may berequested by the customer; if requested, shipment takes place in step541. Shipment of a tag from a retailer (step 541) may be recorded as a“shipment” event in record 42 of the postal entity's database 40 (seeFIG. 2( b)). At the next step 542, this type of customer mustnecessarily request the retailer to activate the stamps for her/him,because the purchase was made anonymously.

By contrast, an enrolled customer may activate the stamps him/herselfafter they are delivered, using an authorization code provided by theretailer, thereby typing the stamps' tag IDs with his/her postal accountnumber (see steps 538 and 539). Regardless of the shipping decisiontaken at step 540, the thread proceeds to decision 543, where theretailer chooses whether or not to prepay the RFID stamps' default valuewhen activating them post-sale; if yes, ACTIVATION (per routine in FIG.5( b)) with prepayment and credit to the authorized retailer accounttakes place at step 545; otherwise, ACTIVATION with deferred billing tothe retailer's account takes place at step 544.

In either case, the anonymous PURCHASE is completed in step 549 wherethe end customer pays the retailer for the RFID stamps. Record 42 isthen updated with a PURCHASE event by the RFID stamp tag ID in step 550and this thread then flows off of FIG. 5( a) in step 570, following thepath for “PURCHASE by an anonymous customer”.

Finally, picking up the alternate path at decision 528, the retailercould activate the RFID stamps prior to sale. The retailer must firstchoose, at decision 529, whether or not to prepay the RFID stamps'default value; if yes, ACTIVATION, with prepayment and credit to theauthorized retailer account takes place in step 547; otherwise,ACTIVATION with deferred billing to the retailer's account takes placein step 546. In either case the thread then proceeds to decision 548. Ifthe sale is anonymous, the thread proceeds to step 549 where the endcustomer pays the retailer, and a record 42 is written to indicate aPURCHASE at step 550. Then the thread flows off FIG. 5( a) at step 570.Otherwise, if the sale is to be on a postal account (i.e., notanonymous), the thread proceeds to decision 551 on FIG. 5( a) viaconnector R where the customer may enroll in a postal account if she/hedoes not already have one. If an account does not exist, the customerprovides her/his billing and return address information in step 552, andin step 553, a new customer account record 12 is created with her/hisnewly assigned account number.

Once the postal account has been created (or, alternatively, if thecustomer had a pre-existing postal account), the system must transferthe RFID stamps from the retailer's account to the end customer'saccount. In order for this to happen, the retailer must first get creditfor any pre-paid RFID stamps, and the end customer must either pre-payor accept deferred payment obligations. Thus, the retailer provides alist of the stamps to be sold in step 554. Processing of the informationbegins at step 555, where an RFID stamp tag ID is removed from the list.Records 22 and 32 are fetched by this tag ID in steps 556 and 557. Atdecision 558, it is determined whether or not the retailer prepaid thestamp's default value (indicated in field 22-4). If the RFID stamp waspre-paid by the retailer, record 12 is fetched in step 559 using theretailer's account number in field 32-2 of record 32. Subsequently, theretailer is credited for the stamp's default value in step 560. Next instep 561, the “pre-paid” marker in field 22-4 is cleared. Then, oralternatively, if the retailer had not prepaid the stamp's ddault valueat decision 558, record 42 is updated with the “transferred” indicationincluding the time and location of the transaction in step 562. Next instep 563, the customer's account number overwrites the retailer'saccount number in field 32-2 of record 32.

Then, at decision 564 the end customer decides whether or not to pre-paythe default value of the RFID stamp. If not, decision 568 is next. Butif so, at step 565 the marker “pre-paid” is written in the RFID stamp'srecord 22. Then the end customer's record 12 is fetched by thecustomer's account number in field 32-2 in step 566, and the endcustomer's account is billed in record 12 for the RFID stamp's chosendefault value at step 567. This completes the processing of a singlestamp from the retailer's RFID stamp tag ID list. Decision 568 is next.If the list provided in step 554 is not now empty, the thread returns tostep 555 to commence processing of the next stamp on the list.Otherwise, for each stamp the customer purchases record 42 is updatedwith the event PURCHASE (step 569), and the thread flows off FIG. 5( a)at step 571 for the case of PURCHASE of the stamps associated with anend-customer postal account.

An exemplary embodiment of the ACTIVATION process, showing exemplarydatabase transactions, is charted in FIG. 5( b). The ACTIVATIONsubroutine is called from steps 538, 539, 544, 545, 546 and 547 of FIG.5( a) and begins at step 572 of FIG. 5( b). The account number, andwhether or not the RFID stamps' default value is to be prepaid, arepassed as parameters to the ACTIVATION subroutine. The activating partymay choose whether to defer or pre-pay the RFID stamps' default value atthe time of ACTIVATION. A retailer, for example the postal entity, couldtake advantage of the “float” on his/her sales by deferring paymentuntil the customer utilizes or enables the stamp. ACTIVATION is atomic,that is, all database updates appear simultaneously and if thesubroutine is interrupted, the process is aborted and any intermediatedatabase transactions are withdrawn.

The ACTIVATION subroutine commences at step 573 by determining whetherthe RFID stamp(s) information is being entered by a postal-entity-linkedRFID reader. Advantageously, the customer could have presented her/hisPAC card to this reader to provide her/his account number foractivation. This would have been the customer's first opportunity tointeract with a postal-entity RFID reader. If entering the process via apostal-entity-linked RFID reader at step 574, the RFID readerinterrogates the RFID stamps to be activated, and produces a list oftheir tag IDs. Multiple RFID stamps may be interrogated simultaneously.

If the tag IDs do not come via RFID interrogation, then in step 575, thecustomer or authorized retailer preparing to sell RFID stamps mustprovide the tag IDs through other means, such as a web portal ortelephone interface, provided by the postal entity. Regardless of howthe list was generated, it may include A+B pairs or members of A+B1, . .. , Bn sets, and they will be activated together on a customer'saccount. By whatever means the list of tag IDs was obtained, an RFIDstamp tag ID is taken off the list in step 576.

Next, a sequence of stamp integrity checks is performed. Decision 577determines whether the RFID stamp has been registered with the postalentity by checking to see if its record 42 exists. If not, the customeris alerted to call customer service at step 597 and the activationprocess is aborted. Otherwise, decision 578 checks to see if the RIDstamp has a record 22, indicating that the stamp has already beenactivated. If the answer is yes, the customer is directed to customerservice in step 598 and the activation process is stopped, since an RFIDstamp may not be doubly activated. In step 579, a record 32 of RFIDstamp account database 30 is created with said RFID stamp's tag IDentered into field 32-1, along with a valid account number in field32-2. This is the first time an RFID stamp's tag ID is associated with apostal account number. It is to be noted that the account number infield 32-2 doesn't change unless the consumer transfers aretailer-activated RFID stamp to his/her postal account (see FIG. 5( a),step 563), or the RFID stamp is enabled on a different postal accountbefore use (see FIG. 6( a)).

Simultaneously, a record 22 of the mailpiece history database 20 iscreated at step 580, tying the RFID tag ID of field 22-1 to the chosendefault class value, time and location of activation in field 22-4. Themeans by which the data was provided, e.g., postal-entity RFID reader ornot, and venue will be implicitly known through the location informationin field 22-4. Later, consistency checks can be made as record 22 isaccessed at subsequent processing steps, e.g., the RFID stamp can onlyenter the system once. Thus the system may ensure that RFID stampscannot be reused (except in the case of undeliverable mail, discussedearlier), and that non-activated or counterfeit RFID stamps arerejected.

Next, at decision 581, the system checks whether the RFID stamp is a “B”stamp. If so, the customer is obligated to associate a reply addresswith the “B” stamp. This type of stamp may only be bought through abusiness relationship with the postal entity. This process begins atstep 582 where the customer's record 12 is fetched by the customer'spostal account number. The customer may choose his/her “B” stamp replyaddress as his/her own return address from field 12-3 at decision 583,or at decision 585, use the billing address in field 12-4, or may entera new reply address into his/her record 12 at step 587. Depending onhis/her choice, the corresponding field number is set in step 584, 586,or 588 respectively. This field number is then recorded in step 589 asan update to record 42 and then, at step 590 the record 12 field-numberchoice is written in field 22-4. The chosen reply address will befetched from record 12 only after the “B” stamp enters the mailstream,so routing will be governed by any customer updates to record 12 madeprior to the “B” stamp entering the mailstream.

Then, in step 591, whether or not the RFID stamp is a “B” stamp, a queryis made to determine if the default value will be prepaid or paymentdeferred. If prepaid, the flow moves to step 592 where a marker is addedto field 22-4 indicating that the tag ID has its assigned value paid inadvance. At step 593, the customer account record 12 is fetched usingthe customer account number, and in step 594, the account is billed thestamp's chosen default value by writing the charge into field 12-6 ofrecord 12 in the customer account database 10. There are somedifferences between a retailer's and an end customer's account. Theretailer account record 12 has a billing address (indicated by “ . . . ”in field 12-4 on FIG. 2( a)) but no return address (in field 12-3 ofFIG. 2( a)) since the retailer does not utilize the stamps she/he sellsthrough this account. Furthermore, the retailer is not allowed to tracetag IDs through RFID stamp account database 30 because the retailer didnot mail them.

To continue, in step 595, the ACTIVATION event of the RFID stamp iswritten into record 42 of RFID stamp event database 40 where the tag IDrecord is updated with the event, time, place, and correlated details.Alternatively, in step 591 when the stamp payment is to be deferred, theACTIVATION event of step 595 occurs directly. Step 595 concludes theprocessing for a single tag ID. In step 596, the system checks to see ifthe list of tag IDs to be activated has been exhausted. If not,processing resumes at step 576 via the lettered connector N. Otherwise,step 599 concludes the activation subroutine, and the RFID stamps havebeen “franked”. The process now returns to its calling point on FIG. 5(a). Following the PURCHASE event (step 570 or step 571 of FIG. 5( a)),the end customer may chose whether or not to enable his/her RFIDstamp(s).

Several exemplary paths leading to the enablement process are shown inFIG. 6( a), entering at step 648 or 649. If the customer does not enablethe RFID stamp (queries 654 or 653), the processing of the anonymouslypurchased stamp from step 649 continues to FIG. 7( a) through step 655.Likewise, the processing of the stamp purchased on a postal account fromstep 648 continues to FIG. 7( a) through step 658. But, if the customerchooses to enable the RFID stamp at either step 653 or step 654, she/hemay at this time “affix” the RFID stamp to a mailpiece at step 660. Itis an instance of enablement “at time of use” or “real time” enablementif the RFID stamp is “affixed” to the mailpiece at this step in theprocess. However, the customer is not restricted to this timeline ofRFID stamp usage.

Presuming the customer elects to continue with the enablement process ofFIG. 6( a), the system then checks to see if the customer desires orneeds to open a new account at step 661. This is the last opportunityfor the anonymous customer to associate his/her purchased RFID stampswith a postal account before they are deposited on a mailpiece in thepostal system. If the account does not exist, the customer provideshis/her billing and return address information in step 662, and in step663, a new customer account record 12 is created with his/her newlyassigned account number. Once the postal account has been created (or,alternatively, if the customer was using a pre-existing postal account),the customer provides the account number to the system at step 664. Thenthe system checks at decision 665 whether the data transaction is beingdone at a postal-entity-linked RFID reader. If not, the customerprovides a sufficiently long RFID stamp tag ID suffix at step 668. Theinformation may be entered by a variety of means such as: telephone,mobile device, personal computer or other methods known in the art.Since the customer account is known, a suffix of the full tag ID shouldbe sufficient to determine the RFID stamp in question. It is presumedthat the customer will only enter the tag ID(s) of the RFID stamp(s)he/she intends to enable, whether “A” or “B”. Then the system ENABLESthe stamp through the routine called at step 650, and the processcontinues to FIG. 7( a) through step 656.

Otherwise, if a postal-entity-linked RFID reader is in use at decision665, the reader interrogates the RFID stamp, or a group of RFID stamps,to only obtain the tag IDs presented at step 667. Again, the customercould have advantageously presented her/his PAC card to this reader toprovide the account number for enablement. It is then determined atdecision 669 whether an A+B set is present. If not, a stamp is enabledas above at step 650. Or, if an A+B set was detected, the customer firstchooses at decision 657 whether or not to enable the “A” stamp. If yes,the “A” stamp is enabled through the ENABLE routine called at step 651.Then the customer chooses whether to enable the “B” stamp(s) at decision659. If not, the process continues to FIG. 7( a) via step 656. But, ifthe customer does choose to enable the “B” stamps(s) at decision 659,then they are enabled through the ENABLE routine called at step 652 andthe process continues to FIG. 7( a) via step 656. The remaining option,if the “A” stamp at decision 657 is not enabled, is to enable the “B”stamp(s) as above at step 652. Then, the process continues to FIG. 7( a)via step 656. To conclude, there are three ways for the processed RFIDstamp to exit FIG. 6( a) and continue to FIG. 7( a): (1) thepostal-account associated stamp; (2) the anonymously purchased stamp;and, (3) enablement for postal accounts only. The first two ways aredefined as default-value routes that bypass the enablement process.

The ENABLE process, called at steps 650, 651 and 652 of FIG. 6( a), isillustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 6( b). The entire ENABLE procedureis atomic as was the case for ACTIVATION. The process begins at step670. First there is a series of enablement exclusion conditions for “A”and “B” RFID stamps. In step 671, record 22 belonging to the RFID tag IDis fetched by the system. If record 22 is missing, at decision 680, thenthe system flags the presence of a non-activated stamp and prompts thecustomer to call customer service in step 681. Otherwise, if there is arecord 22 and field 22-3 indicates that the RFID stamp is alreadyenabled at step 682, then the customer is again prompted to notifycustomer service at step 683, since an RFID stamp may not be doublyenabled.

If, at decision 682, field 22-3 indicates that the stamp has not beenenabled, then the process continues to step 672 where record 32 isfetched by the RFID stamp tag ID. Next at decision 673, the systemdetermines whether the proferred customer account number, gathered fromthe customer at step 664 of FIG. 6( a), is the same as that in field32-2 of the RFID stamp account database 30 (the account number writtenat the time the stamp was activated or purchased). If the numbers arenot the same, the system checks at decision 684 whether the RFID stampis a “B” stamp. If so, enablement is disallowed at step 685, because achange of customer account on a “B” stamp is not permitted by thisprocedure in order to protect the ownership of the “B” stamp. Also, thepostal entity is notified that an attempt to change the account was madeand a record could be kept. Otherwise, if at decision 684, a “B” stampis not present, the system checks at decision 686 whether or not theRFID stamp's default value has been prepaid. If not, the activationaccount's record 12 is fetched in step 687 using the account number infield 32-2, and at step 688 the activation account is billed in record12 for the default value. Then, or alternatively if the default valuehad been prepaid, the customer's “enabling” account number overwritesthe “activation” account number in field 32-2 at step 689, and step 675is next. The enablement account's record 12 is fetched in step 675 usingthe account number in field 32-2, and at step 676 the enablement accountis credited in record 12 for the default value.

Only “A” RFID stamps can be enabled through the “no” branch of decision673. “A” and/or “B” RFID stamps may be enabled through the “yes” choiceat decision 673. If the account numbers are the same, the system checksat decision 674 whether or not the RFID stamp's default value has beenprepaid. If yes, the enablement account's record 12 is fetched in step675 using the account number in field 32-2, and at step 676 theenablement account is credited in record 12 for the default value. Then,or alternatively if the RFID stamp's default value was not prepaid, atstep 677 the time and location of enablement are written in field 22-3of record 22 of the mailpiece history database 20. Subsequently, record42 is updated with the ENABLED stamp event information in step 678. Step679 indicates the thread returns to its calling point (step 656 or 659)on FIG. 6( a). Once the stamps have been enabled, the customer may usethem at any future time as postage without needing to worry about theactual postage due for each mailpiece.

Exemplary means of choosing postal entity services to be associated withan RFID stamp are shown in FIG. 7( a), as well as information anddiagnostics regarding postage charges for services and limitations toanonymously purchased RFID stamps. The flowchart leads up to the step ofdepositing a mailpiece “affixed” with an RFID stamp. There are threepaths to FIG. 7( a) from FIG. 6( a); step 701, the anonymous-purchasedefault-value stamp (from step 655); step 700, the enabled stamp on anend-customer postal account (from step 656); and step 702, thedefault-value stamp on an end-customer postal account (from step 658).The RFID stamp may be “affixed” at this stage (steps 703 or 704)regardless of the path. Next, at step 705 or 706, the customer is askedwhether he/she wishes to enter data in record 22, i.e., to selectservices or provide ZIP+4 information. In both decision cases, if theanswer is “no”, the process skips via the labeled connector A to step738 where the customer has his/her last chance to “affix” the RFID stampto his/her mailpiece before deposit at step 740 with the postal entityservice.

Otherwise, if the decision is for data to be entered into record 22, theanonymous customer, at step 705, is obligated to use a postal entityRFID reader to obtain the RFID stamp's tag ID at step 707, since thereis no personal accounting record of her/his purchase of the stamp. Sucha postal entity reader may be a component of an earlier mentionedembodiment where an RFID reader may be used by a customer for data entryas part of a kiosk type arrangement. Alternatively, the customer with apostal account, at step 706, may likewise choose, at decision 708, touse a postal entity RFID reader at step 707, or may provide, by othermeans, the RFID stamp's tag ID (by entering a tag ID suffix), through apostal entity provided portal, at step 710. The customer provided tag IDis then used at step 711 to fetch record 22.

However, if the postal entity RFID reader is used at step 707, thespecial interrogation routing outlined in FIG. 8 is called. This routine“selects” an RFID tag ID to be associated with the mailpiece. If thereis only one RFID stamp scanned then its tag ID is returned as selected;if there is more than one stamp read, then the RFID stamp tag IDs areprioritized and a unique tag ID is deterministically selected. Theselected tag ID is returned with a list of any other stamps “seen” withit. Then, this information from step 707 is passed on to the customerinterface routine (outlined in FIG. 7( b)) called in step 709. Thecustomer interface informs the customer about postage and advises thebest use of the RFID stamps for selected services. No businesstransactions are made although a record of the query is kept in database40. The selected tag ID is passed on to step 711.

In this section, the customer continues providing data to be associatedwith the RFID stamp of his/her mailpiece. Regardless of whether theselected tag ID came from step 707 or 710, at step 711 the systemfetches record 22 using that tag ID. At decision 712, it is determinedwhether the selected RFID stamp (an “A” or a “B” could have beenselected) has been enabled. If the answer is “yes”, the process moves tostep 720 where the customer may choose specific postal entity services.These choices are written in field 22-4 of record 22 in step 721. Thenext few decisions are to determine whether or not to choosesupplemental postal entity services for “B” stamps that are currentlypresent in an A+B set. These non-selected stamps are limited to enabled“B” stamps at steps 722 and 723. Advantageously, this limitationdiscourages the use of multiple enabled “A” stamps on an item, sincelater at cancellation these stamps would be considered superfluous andignored in the presence of the selected enabled “A” stamp. But, anindividual may send multiple enabled “B” stamps under the cover of an“A” stamp since it is presumed that in the future these stamps will beused singly for reply mail. Then the system fetches record(s) 22 of theenabled “B” stamp(s) by tag ID(s) at step 724. In step 725, the customerchooses the desired postal entity services for each enabled RFID “B”stamp, and the information is passed to step 726 where field 22-4 isupdated for each RFID stamp. The choices are also recorded in record 42for each enabled “B” stamp by its tag ID in step 727 which thencontinues on to decision 714.

Before considering the paths exiting decision 714, the “no” branch ofdecision 712 will be discussed. This is the case if the selected RFIDstamp is not enabled. This option leads to decision 713, where thenegative result of decision 722 (i.e., there is no A+B set present withany enabled stamp) also enters. If the selected stamp is a “B” stamp, nofurther interaction with record 22 is possible at this stage in order toprotect the owner's control of the “B” stamp. Thus, a ZIP+4 can not beentered at this stage on a “B” stamp. Such changes may only be madethrough customer account maintenance of record 12 where they will affectall RFID “B” stamps associated with the field that was updated. So, thethread goes to step 719 where record 42 of the selected stamp is updatedwith the customer's possible service selections on an enabled “A” or “B”RFID stamp. In the case of the non-enabled selected “B” stamp, only thefact that the stamp was interrogated is recorded in database 40, sinceno modifications were possible.

If at decision 713, the selected stamp is an “A” stamp, enabled or not,the process continues to decision 714. Also entering decision 714 are:the “no” branch off decision 723 (no chosen services for enabled “B”stamp(s)), as well as step 727 (the last step in choosing services forenabled “B” stamp(s)). At decision 714 the customer may or may notchoose to enter the destination ZIP+4 routing code for the selected RFID“A” stamp. If not, the process skips to step 719 where record 42 isupdated as discussed above. If the decision is to add destination ZIP+4information, decision 715 asks whether the destination ZIP+4 field 22-2is empty. If so, the customer may enter the information in step 716. Itis then written in field 22-2 of record 22 at step 718. This leads tothe update of the event in record 42 at step 719.

Otherwise, if a destination ZIP+4 entry on the selected “A” stampalready exists, the customer account information must be verified. So,record 32 of the tag ID is fetched at step 730. At step 731, thecustomer must enter her/his account number and prove its validity by aPIN or password, or the like. Then at decision 735, if the accountnumber in field 32-2 matches the customer-entered account number, thedestination ZIP+4 may be entered at step 716. It is then written infield 22-2 of record 22 at step 718, leading to the update of the eventin record 42 at step 719 as above. But, if the account numbers atdecision 735 do not match, then the request to change field 22-2 isdenied at step 736 and the event is recorded as an update in record 42at step 719.

At step 738, all of the results that converged into step 719 and thelabeled connector A (from steps 705 and 706) come together at the lastopportunity for the customer to “affix” the RFID stamp(s) on themailpiece before depositing at a postal entity reception point at step740. Following purchase, an RFID stamp may be “affixed” to a mailpieceat anytime prior to deposit and is independent of all logical eventsoutlined in FIGS. 5( a) and (b), 6(a) and (b), and 7(a) and (b).Similarly, customer account information maintenance, and the atomicactions of the RFID stamp enablement, entering of destination ZIP+4information, and presentation of information through the customerinterface at step 709, are all independent of each other, may beperformed in any order, and, with the exception of enablement, may berepeated. Actions may be grouped at the discretion of the customer,e.g., enablement may be performed at the time of purchase, independentlyat a later time, or immediately prior to deposit. Furthermore, thecustomer may seek postage information at a postal entity RFID reader(the sequences of steps 707 and 709), independent of any other processespresented in these flowcharts. At deposit (step 740), the mailpiececomes irrevocably under the exclusive physical control of the postalentity; hence, after the status ENTRY is recorded, customer initiatedchanges are not allowed to records associated with the RFID stampaffixed to the mailpiece in the mailpiece history and the RFID stampaccount databases.

A process for providing information to a customer regarding postage feesto be tied with RFID stamp(s) and, optionally, specific postal servicerequests associated with a mailpiece, is outlined in FIG. 7( b). Thisflowchart is called, prior to deposit, at step 709 of the flowchart inFIG. 7( a) from an on-site postal facility customer interface such as akiosk after obtaining from the FIG. 8 “interrogation” routine, at step707, a list of RFID stamps found with the mailpiece as well as adeterministically derived “selected” RFID stamp tag ID. At this stage,this list and selected tag ID are kept in temporary working storage andnot stored in the databases of FIG. 1. The service information isprovided at an RFID reader equipped postal entity facility. Theflowchart determines how the postage might be covered by a variety ofpreferred combinations of RFID stamps presented with the mailpiece.These preferred combinations are: a collection of non-enabled “A”stamps, or, a single enabled “A” stamp, or, a single “B” stamp, enabledor not. Other combinations are not useable for postage and the customeris informed of this. The information is temporary unless the customercommits to his/her service requests, although a record of when and wherethe stamps were “touched” is always kept in database 40.

In FIG. 7( b) and later flowcharts, the term “current stamp” occurs.This is used to distinguish it from the “selected stamp” which is thedeterministically-assigned stamp from the FIG. 8 interrogation routine.The “current stamp” is any stamp temporarily being considered andprocessed within a loop.

Referring in particular to FIG. 7( b), the process of determining theappropriate postage fee (and whether the presented RFID stamp(s) willcover that fee) is entered at step 750. In step 751, at a postal entitykiosk, the customer may make postal entity service choices for themailpiece with the RFID stamps present. This is an opportunity for the“anonymous” customer to obtain postal services beyond first-classdefault by paying with multiple default-value non-enabled “A” stamps.Otherwise, such transactions must take place by a face-to-face encounterwith a postal employee at the service window. Then, the customer'smailpiece and the RFID stamp(s) she/he intends to use are weighed at anRFID reader-equipped postal entity kiosk arrangement at step 752 and thecharges based on the weight, size, shape and requested services aredisplayed. At step 753, the system checks whether there are RFIDstamp(s) present. If the list of RFID stamps is empty, service iscompleted and the process exits through step 759. But, if at least oneRFID stamp is present, the process continues to step 754, where thesystem prepares to enter an accounting loop of the stamps present. Theloop counts the number of activated “B” stamps and activated, enabled“A” stamps. It also excludes all non-activated stamps. In the case ofactivated, non-enabled “A” stamps, it sums the default values of allsuch stamps presented. This sum will be applied at a later stage to thepostage in FIG. 7( b). This loop eventually exits at step 769.

The loop is initialized at steps 754, 755 and 756 by setting to zero the“default value sum” (a result that is only derived from non-enabled “A”stamps“), the “B” stamp counter and the enabled “A” stamp counter,respectively. At step 757, the loop control pointer is set to the headof the RFID stamp tag list. Entering step 760, the loop commences bysetting the current RFID tag ID from the pointer and advancing thepointer on the list. At step 761, the current tag ID's record 22 isfetched by the system. In the event there is no record 22 (i.e., thestamp is not activated) at decision 762, the current RFID stamp isignored and the process moves on to step 768 where record 42 is updated(if possible) by the current tag ID with the time and location of theinterrogation. The information is recorded for possible postal “sanity”checks of stamp misuse. The process then goes on to step 769 where thesystem checks if the pointer is beyond the end of the list of tag IDs.If the pointer is beyond the end of the list, the loop is exited. Ifnot, the loop returns to step 760 and proceeds to assign the new currentRFID tag ID from the pointer before advancing the pointer to the nextlocation on this list.

However, going back to the decision options of step 762, if record 22does exist, the system checks whether a “B” stamp is the current stampat decision 763. If it is, the “B” stamp counter is incremented by oneat step 764. Otherwise, the system checks for the presence of an enabled“A” stamp at decision 765. If the RFID stamp is an enabled “A” stamp,the enabled “A” stamp counter is increased by one at step 766. If not,the remaining option for the current tag ID is the activated,non-enabled “A” stamp that has an assigned default value which can beretrieved from field 22-4 of its record 22. This value is added to thedefault-value sum in step 767. Then, after steps 764, 766 or 767, anupdate is made in record 42 of the current RFID stamp tag ID with thetime and location of the inquiry at step 768 and the thread proceeds todecision 769 where the loop may be repeated for the next item at thelist pointer, or if the list has been exhausted, the system proceeds tostep 770.

At step 770, record 22 is fetched by the RFID tag ID of the selectedstamp passed from the routine of FIG. 8. At decision 771, if record 22is missing (i.e., there was no selected stamp associated with themailpiece), then the customer is informed to seek assistance at step 781and the process terminates. The customer is allowed to sendnon-activated stamps provided there is some other “selected” stamp tobear the postage and step 781 re-enforces this feature. If there is auseable “selected” RFID stamp, the system will first display at step 791the sum of the default values of all of the non-enabled “A” stamps fromstep 767. Next, it is determined at decision 792 if the selected RFIDstamp, i.e., the stamp that would bear the postage, is an “A” stamp. Ifnot, the system goes to decision 772, where the “B” stamp counter istested. If it is greater than one, then at step 782 the customer isinformed that he/she has attempted to use multiple “B” stamps with no“A” stamp to cover the charges. This protects the owner of reply “B”stamps from misuse by clients for personal use and protects the postalsystem from being confronted with multiple routing confusion derivedfrom the reply ZIP+4 associated with each “B” stamp.

Otherwise, a single “B” stamp is present, and if, at decision 793, it isenabled, the routine informs the customer that the postage should becovered by the RFID stamp presented at step 795 and then returns at step799 to step 709 of FIG. 7( a). But, if the “B” stamp is not enabled atdecision793, and at decision 773 its default value does not cover thepostage, the customer is so informed at step 783. Otherwise, the postageis covered and the thread proceeds to step 795 as above, and the routinereturns to FIG. 7( a) from step 799.

Now the “yes” branch of step 792 will be considered. This is the casewhen the selected RFID stamp is an “A” stamp. “B” stamps in mixtureswith a selected “A” will be ignored (this allows the customer to sendA+B sets). First, a possible but discouraged condition will be tested atdecision 774. Using multiple enabled “A” stamps is discouraged becausesuch use is redundant and wasteful. At the time of cancellation, onlyone such stamp will be used. If there is more than one such RFID stamp,the customer is informed of this in step 784.

If the “no” branch at decision 774 is taken, i.e., the enabled “A” stampcounter is zero or one, then mixtures of enabled and non-enabled “A”stamps must be considered. If at decision 794, the default-value sum ofnon-enabled “A” stamps is zero, then there were no non-enabled “A”stamps detected and it is deduced that there is one enabled “A” stamp tocover the postage. In this case, the process continues to step 795 wherethe customer is informed that the RFID stamp covers the postage and thesystem returns to FIG. 7( a) via step 799.

Alternatively, if the default-value sum is non-zero at step 794, thenthere are non-enabled “A” stamps present. So, if at decision 775, the“selected” stamp is enabled, then at step 785 the customer is informedthat mixed default-value stamps and enabled stamps are present on themailpiece. This is discouraged because it is wasteful and redundant. The“no” branch of decision 775 is taken when only non-enabled stamps arepresent. Their default-value sum will be compared to the postage due viathe pair of “Goldilocks” decisions 776 and 777. If the sum is too small,step 786 informs the customer there is insufficient postage. If the sumis too great, step 787 informs the customer there is excess postage.Otherwise, the customer is asked at decision 778 if she/he wishes toaccept the charges displayed. If not, the process is terminated at step788. But, if the charges are accepted, then the customer is required to“affix” the(se) specific RFID stamp(s) to the mailpiece at step 796. Thecustomer-approved chosen services are written in field 22-4 of theselected RFID stamp and the routine concludes by returning to step 709of FIG. 7( a) via step 799. The customer who chooses this type oftransaction may still assign a destination ZIP+4 to this selected RFIDstamp, but the service selection steps of FIG. 7( a) are not accessible.

An exemplary RFID stamp interrogation routine is illustrated in FIG. 8.The routine is called at several points during postal processing of anRFID stamp. It has already been used in FIG. 7( a) at step 707 toimplement the customer information routine at step 709. Other places itwill be called are: step 903 and step 911 in FIG. 9( a), step 938 inFIG. 9( b), and step 1031 and step 1044 in FIG. 10( a). This routinedeterministically selects one RFID stamp from a list of stamps providedby a postal entity RFID reader, and performs ancillary processing at thetime of “entry” of the mailpiece. The selected RFID stamp will later beused in routing of the mailpiece. Defective and problem stampscombinations are combed out and the error condition is passed back tothe calling routine. The details of “when” specific features of the FIG.8 routine are used depend on where it is called and the results ofprevious processing of the RFID tag list. There are optimizationfeatures to reduce database load. The routine truncates itself if thesystem recognizes there has already been a stamp selected for theparticular mailpiece in question or there is only a single stampassociated with the item. The circumstance in which most of the featuresof FIG. 8 are executed is at the time of “entry”.

The flowchart commences at step 800, and at step 801 the postal entityRFID reader interrogates the RFID stamps in/on the mailpiece andgenerates a list of the RFID tag IDs. If at decision 802, the listconsists of a single item, then the routine returns immediately throughstep 850 to its calling point with the RFID stamp assigned as theselected stamp. Otherwise, if at decision 803, it is determined that themultiple RFID stamps are associated with the presence of multiplemailpieces, then at step 804 the items must be separated and the processrestarts at step 801 individually for each separate piece. But, if thecomplete list of RFID stamps is associated with a single mailpiece (thatis, the “no” branch from decision 803), then a single RFID stamp must beselected to cover the postage charges and routing of the item.

The deterministic selection algorithm prioritizes the RFID stamps on thelist by ranking enabled “A” stamps over non-enabled “A” stamps, over “B”stamps. Within the higher ranked category of “A” stamp, the tag ID withthe greater numerical or lexical value is chosen to “break the tie”.Also, multiple “B” stamps are accepted only in the presence of anactivated “A” stamp. The algorithm starts by initializing four localvariables. At steps 805 to 807, the selected tag ID, the multi-B flagand the selected stamp enabled-A flag are cleared. Then, at step 808,the loop control pointer is set to the head of the list.

The selection loop is entered at decision 810. If the control pointerhas not passed the end of the list, the routine, at step 811, sets thecurrent RFID tag ID from the pointer and advances the pointer on thelist. At step 812, this tag ID is used to fetch record 22. If, atdecision 813, record 22 is missing (i.e., the stamp is not activated),then the tag is ignored and the loop restarts with the next RFID stamptag ID at decision 810. Otherwise, at decision 814, it is determined if“entry” is already recorded in field 22-5. If so, the current tag ID(selected in a previous call to FIG. 8) is returned immediately via step851 to the calling routine as the selected RFID stamp tag ID. If not,there is a further optimization at decision 815, where it is determinedif the selected tag ID has been recorded in a set of “multi-A” stampsduring a previous call to FIG. 8. This is done by asking if there is a“multi-A” marker present in field 22-4. If so, the selected RFID tag IDis extracted from the marker and returned to the calling routine viastep 852. But, if the current RFID tag ID is not returned at any of theprevious decisions, it must be considered for selection.

“A” stamps and “B” stamps take different paths in the selectionprioritization process beginning at decision 816. If the current stampis a “B” stamp, another decision question follows at decision 817. Here,it is determined whether there is already a known selected “A” stampthat was found during the loop processing of the present list. If such astamp is known, then the current “B” stamp is ignored and the loopbegins again at decision 810. This is to implement the mailing of A+Bsets. If there is not a selected “A” stamp, then the next decision at818 checks if a “B” stamp has been selected. If so, the current “B”stamp cannot be assigned as the selected stamp, and furthermore thisindicates that multiple “B” stamps are present. Hence, the “multi-B”flag is set at step 819 and the loop returns to step 810. The “multi-B”flag can lead to an error condition in the event that no activated “A”stamps are eventually found on the list of RFID stamp tag IDs.Alternatively, if there is no selected “B” stamp (or “A” stamp), thenthe current “B” stamp tag ID is defined as the selected RFID stamp tagID at step 827, and the loop begins again with the next item on thelist, if any, at decision 810.

Going back to consider the “yes” branch of decision 816 when the currentstamp is an RFID “A” stamp, at decision 820 it is determined if the“selected stamp enabled-A” flag has previously been set for this list ofRFID tag IDs. If this flag was not set, then at decision 821 it isdetermined whether the current RFID “A” stamp is enabled. If so, the“selected stamp enabled-A” flag is set in step 825. Then, the currentRFID stamp is made the selected stamp at step 827, since enabled “A”stamps outrank all other types of RFID stamps. The loop then startsagain at decision 810. But, if the current stamp is not an enabled “A”stamp at decision 821, then the system checks to see if there is alreadya selected RFID “B” stamp at decision 823. If so, the current RFID “A”stamp tag ID is made the selected RFID stamp tag ID at step 827, becausenon-enabled “A” stamps outrank “B” stamps (i.e., “B” stamps can bemailed inside envelopes whose postage is covered by an “A” stamp). But,if at decision 823, the selected stamp is not a “B” stamp, then atdecision 824, the tag IDs of the current “A” stamp versus the selected“A” stamp or the null tag ID from step 805 are ranked by their lexicalvalues. If the current tag ID has the greater value it is made theselected RFID stamp tag ID at step 827. Otherwise, no change is made tothe selected tag ID assignment and the loop recommences at decision 810.

The final option to consider is the “yes” branch of decision 820 (i.e.,the selected stamp is an enabled “A” stamp). It is followed by decision822, where it is checked whether or not the current “A” stamp isenabled. If not, then the selected RFID stamp does not change to thecurrent tag ID, since enabled “A” stamps take precedence overnon-enabled stamps. But, if the current “A” stamp is enabled at decision822, then its tag ID must be lexically ranked at decision 824 againstthe selected enabled “A” stamp tag ID. The result of this comparison ishandled as before. Multiple enabled-A stamps are in general discouraged,but the management of this problem is dealt with in the flowcharts fromwhich FIG. 8 is called.

Ultimately, the loop pointer will go past the end of the list and theprocess will continue through to the next major section of FIG. 8 viaconnector B. This section begins with a question at decision 830 askingwhether FIG. 8 was called from FIG. 7( a) at step 707. If it was, thenthe routine is exited and returns the selected RFID stamp tag ID withthe list of tag IDs via step 853 just before beginning the customerservice routine of FIG. 7( b). Up to this point, the routine of FIG. 8has not performed any side effects associated with the items on thelist, i.e., no markers are left in database 20. But, if FIG. 8 is notexited, subsequent decisions are performed on this flowchart concerningentry and utilized in later cancellation and routing procedures. Onlythe call step from step 903 of FIG. 9( a) can get to this part of theflowchart of FIG. 8.

The section with side effects begins at decision 831. If the selectedstamp tag ID is found to be “null”, then a “null” tag ID is returned atstep 854 as the result to step 903 of FIG. 9( a). In this case, the“null” value was set at step 805 and has remained unchanged throughoutall iterations of the ranking loop. This occurs in the circumstance thatno valid RFID stamp was found. For example: the list of tag IDs wasempty (e.g., legacy stamps on the mailpiece), or consisted ofnon-activated stamps, unregistered stamps, or the list consisted ofnon-conforming tag IDs, or some mixture of such items. However, if theselected stamp tag ID is not “null”, then it is determined if it is anRFID “A” stamp at step 832. If not, the system checks at decision 845 tosee if the multi-B flag has been set during the selection loop at step819. If so, at step 855, the routine discards the selected “B” stamp tagID and returns a “null” tag ID instead with a multi-B error condition toFIG. 9( a). This occurs when multiple “B” stamps are seen without an “A”stamp to cover the postage. But, if the multi-B flag is clear, then theselected RFID stamp ID is returned from FIG. 8 at step 856. This is thecondition for a valid “B” stamp (enabled or not) being used to mailother non-activated stamps.

Reconsidering decision 832, if the selected RFID stamp is an “A” stamp,then any other “A” stamps present with the selected stamp must have the“multi-A” marker recorded in database 20. This section begins anotherloop through the list of stamps. This is executed in order to keep fromperforming the entire FIG. 8 selection loop again at every subsequentrouting interrogation and at cancellation. So, at step 833 the loopcontrol pointer is restored to the head of the RFID stamp tag ID list.At step 834 the routine sets the current RFID tag ID from the pointerand advances the pointer on the list. If at decision 835, the currenttag ID is the selected one, then the process goes to decision 846 tocheck whether the pointer is past the end of the list. If so, the loopis complete and the selected RFID stamp ID is returned in step 856. Ifnot, the loop continues at step 834 with the next tag ID from the listand advances the pointer.

Now the “no” branch of decision 835 will be considered to continuelooking for multiple “A” stamps on the tag ID list. If the current stampis not the selected one, then its record 22 is fetched at step 836. Andif at decision 837 the record is missing (i.e., it is an invalid stamp)then the routine proceeds to decision 846, where it may recommence atstep 834 or exit at step 856. But, if there is a record 22 at decision837, then the system checks whether the current stamp is a “B” stamp. Ifso, it is ignored in the same manner as the “yes” branch of decision837. Otherwise, at step 839, a “multi-A” marker containing the selectedRFID tag ID is recorded in field 22-4 of the current RFID stamp. This isdone to each non-selected RFID “A” stamp on a multi-stamp list. Theroutine then goes to decision 846, and the loop either repeats or exits.If exited now, the return at 856 to FIG. 9( a) delivers the selectedRFID stamp tag ID for multiple stamp situations.

Step 856 returns the selected RFID stamp tag ID from FIG. 8 in allmulti-stamp cases. If the selected RFID stamp is a “B” stamp, then theroutine performs no side effects prior to the return. But, if theselected RFID stamp is an “A” stamp there will be side effects if otheractivated “A” stamps are present with it.

Recalling at the end of FIG. 7( a) that the mailpiece with RFID stamp(s)“affixed” has been deposited at a postal entity facility, postal entityprocessing will begin as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9( a). Theflowchart presents exemplary data handling routines to mark the “entry”of the RFID stamp into postal entity processing, sift out items bearingunusable RFID stamps, compute possible multiple-stamp charges and aid inrouting of the item up to cancellation.

During the lifecycle of an RFID stamp the routine outlined in FIG. 9( a)is executed only once. It is entered at step 900 and begins at decision901, where it is determined if the mailpiece with “affixed” RFIDstamp(s) is at a legacy postal entity facility or one with an RFIDreader. If no reader is available, routing steps occur through step 902until an RFID reader-equipped postal entity facility is reached. Once apostal entity RFID reader is encountered in decision 901 or step 902,the interrogation routine of FIG. 8 is called at step 903, where thedeterministically selected RFID tag ID and ancillary information isgenerated to aid in future routing and postage calculations. At step904, record 22 of the selected RFID stamp is fetched.

If record 22 is not available at decision 905, a series of errorconditions must be considered. The first decision 920 asks if there is a“multi-B” error condition. Multiple “B” stamps, with or without an “A”stamp, cannot be “affixed” to a mailpiece to be used for postage. Thisprotects the owner of the “B” stamps and allows the mailpiece to berouted unambiguously. This condition is recorded in all the “B” stamps'records 42 at step 930 and then is directed to the “missing stamp”routine at step 928 through the labeled connector M. Otherwise, decision921 is next, where it is determined if there is a system malfunction inreading the RFID stamp tag ID. If it appears there is a malfunction,then the process goes to step 922 for postal entity diagnostics andrepair. Otherwise, at decision 923, it is determined if the RFID stamphas a good signal and was read correctly. A re-read may be attempted atthis stage. If the tag information is readable, the mailpiece goes topostal inspection for a non-activated, unregistered or spurious stampstate in step 924. If not, the next test is at decision 925, where it isdetermined if any RFID signal is detectable from the mailpiece. If thereis a signal at this stage, it means that the signal cannot be decoded asa valid RFID stamp tag ID and the item is sent to step 926 where it isinspected for possible damage to the stamp. It then proceeds to the“missing stamp” routine at step 928 via the lettered connector M.Otherwise, the presence of legacy stamps must be considered at decision927. Legacy stamps progress to legacy processing at step 929. Thecontrary condition proceeds to step 928, the “missing stamp” routine ofFIG. 10( b).

Now the “no” branch of decision 905 must be considered. If record 22 ofthe selected RFID tag ID is present, its field 22-5, the “Entry” field,is updated in step 906 with the time and location of its firstrecognized “entry” into the postal entity's exemplary RFID handlingprocess. (Note that selected “A” and “B” category stamps are treatedidentically in this step. Also, if multiple “A” stamps are present, onlythe selected stamp has “entry” recorded in field 22-5, making it theeffective group leader of the stamps on the mailpiece.) Next, it isdetermined whether the RFID stamp is a “B” stamp at decision 907. If itis, its reply routing ZIP+4 is obtained and recorded in record 22 toexpedite routing in future processing. This begins with a series offetches: at step 915, record 32 is fetched by the RFID stamp's tag ID;at step 916, the customer account number of field 32-2 is used toretrieve the customer's account in record 12; and, at step 917 thecustomer-chosen field number for the “B” reply address is fetched fromfield 22-4 (refer back to step 590 of FIG. 5( b)). Then, in step 918,the reply ZIP+4 information in record 12 is found by this field numberstored in field 22-4, and the reply ZIP+4 is then written in field 22-2at step 919. Then, step 919 and the “no” branch of decision 907 bothcontinue to step 908 where record 42 is updated by the RFID stamp tag IDwith the stamp event: ENTRY. The sequence of steps, from step 906 tostep 908, recording ENTRY is atomic.

The mailpiece with a “B” stamp being used as a reply mailing gets itsreply ZIP+4 routing code at the time of entry, not at the time the “B”stamp was activated. Thus, the owner of the “B” stamp may change thereply address and its associated routing ZIP+4 up until the time of therecorded entry of the RFID stamp. Furthermore, if the address written onthe outside of the mailpiece conflicts with the reply address, the itemwill nevertheless be automatically routed by the inventive RFID postalsystem to the reply address ZIP+4 where the carrier delivering themailpiece will likely notice the discrepancy. This situation will behandled as misdelivered due to misaddress and possible fraudulent use ofthe prepaid “B” stamp in FIG. 10( a).

Next, at decision 909, if the mailpiece is not yet at the postalentity's exemplary RFID cancellation facility, the item will undergo asmany routing steps 910 as required. An exemplary routing process (FIG.9( b)) will be described in detail later. Once the mailpiece does arriveat the postal entity's exemplary RFID cancellation facility, the processcontinues to step 911, where the mailpiece is interrogated again by acall to the routine of FIG. 8. The returned selected tag ID is then usedto fetch record 22 in step 912. At decision 913, field 22-6 is checkedto see if the stamp has been previously cancelled. If so, a systemmalfunction check is done at decision 931. If a problem is noticed,system diagnostics and repair are performed at step 932. Alternatively,at step 933, record 42 is updated such that the selected RFID stamp was“previously cancelled” and, at step 934, the mailpiece is sent forpostal inspection to check for possible reuse of the RFID stamp(s). But,if the RFID stamp has not been cancelled it proceeds to the“pre-cancellation accounting” routine of FIG. 9( c), at step 914. Thisroutine assigns the necessary postage information to the selected RFIDstamp, should a plurality of RFID stamps be “affixed” to the mailpiece.Then the process of FIG. 9( a) exits via step 999 to FIG. 10( a) wherethe charges associated with the selected RFID stamp are computed basedon the service selection of field 22-4 and the object's size, weight,etc. in accordance with the postal entity's protocols. Before going onto FIG. 10( a), the routines illustrated in FIG. 9( b) and FIG. 9( c)that were called in FIG. 9( a) will be described.

A subprocess for an exemplary postal entity routing method using RFIDstamps is outlined in the flowchart of FIG. 9( b). The routine is calledfrom two different steps (910 or 1032) of the exemplary RFID stampprocessing in FIGS. 9( a) and 10(a). This routine directs mailpieceswith a selected “affixed” RFID stamp automatically by ZIP+4 and customerspecified service selections associated with the RFID stamp. Also,routing of high volume reply “B” stamp mailpieces is optimized.

The subprocess is entered at step 935. Decision 936 is to determine ifthe RFID bearing mailpiece is at an RFID postal entity processingstation. If at this stage there is no RFID reader, the item is checkedat decision 953 to see if further routing is possible. If so, legacyrouting continues at step 954 and the routine returns at step 998, Thisoccurs in the case that the exemplary RFID processing is not universalat postal entity facilities. Once the return is made to FIG. 9( a) or10(a), the mailpiece may re-encounter the routing routine (FIG. 9( b))several times until it is read by an RFID reader at a processingstation. But, if further routing of the item to its stated destinationis not possible at decision 953, the item is processed via step 950 toflowchart FIG. 10( b) for “return to sender”.

However, if at decision 936, an RFID reader is available, then the localvariable, “chosen ZIP+4”, is set to null at step 937 before commencingthe processing of the new item to be routed. Next, the “affixed” RFIDstamp(s) is(are) interrogated (i.e., a call is make to FIG. 8) toretrieve the selected tag ID at step 938. At decision 940, it isdetermined whether the selected RFID stamp is a special “B” stamp (a“ZIP+4 B” or “super B” stamp) that has the reply ZIP+4 encoded in itstag ID, for example as part of a special prefix making it distinct fromregular “A” and “B” prefixes. If so, then at step 941 the chosen ZIP+4is set from the “B” stamp tag ID; at step 942 the routing service classis set to “ZIP+4 B” reply mail, i.e., “super B”; and processing willcontinue at step 945. Note, it is an advantage of the present inventionthat database accesses are reduced for this class of “B” stamps. It isan optimization that, for this class of “B” stamps, the reply ZIP+4routing code and the service class may be determined from the tag IDalone without requiring access to database 20.

Alternatively, a non “super B” stamp (non “ZIP+4 B” stamp) proceeds fromdecision 940 to step 939, where its record 22 is fetched by the selectedtag ID. This applies to any selected “A” stamp or a standard singleton“B” stamp. Its chosen ZIP+4 is set as a local routine variable from itsfield 22-2 at step 943 and the service class is set from field 22-4 instep 944. Then at step 945, record 42 of the selected RFID stamp isupdated with the current routing event.

At decision 946, if the chosen ZIP+4 local variable is still null, thenat decision 951 it is determined whether the selected RFID stamp iscancelled. (This may happen if the customer did not enter a ZIP+4 forthe selected “A” stamp and it has not yet been cancelled.) In this casethe mailpiece is treated as if no RFID routing information wereavailable and goes to decision 952 for possible further legacy routing.But, if the selected RFID stamp has been cancelled and has no routingZIP+4, then the mailpiece is sent to hand processing at step 953. (Onecause of this situation may be that mailpieces had been “stuck together”during the cancellation processing and were separated later.) Otherwise,if at decision 946, the mailpiece has a chosen ZIP+4 it proceeds todecision 947. Here, if no further routing is possible the item isreturned to sender at step 950. But if at decision 947, the mailpiececan be routed, it is handled according to the customer's selectedservice class (such as, express or overnight options) associated withthe RFID stamp tag ID at step 948 and routed by the chosen ZIP+4 at step949. The routine then returns at step 998.

Recollecting the possibility that a customer may use multiple stamps“affixed” to the deposited mailpiece, or that a “B” reply envelope maybe inside a mailpiece whose charges are being covered by an “A” stamp,the exemplary pre-cancellation routine of FIG. 9( c) is called at step914 of FIG. 9( a) in order to calculate the cumulative values of theactivated RFID stamps before cancellation. Other combinations of stampsand singleton stamps are considered in the FIG. 9( c) subprocess aswell. This precancellation process concerns the assigned franked valueof the RFID stamps only and does not consider class or physicalcharacteristics of the mailpiece in its calculations. In general, afterthis routine is executed, all charges will be made via the selected RFIDstamp's tag ID and future routing and processing will be governed by theselected stamp's database entries. Any non-selected stamp seen groupedwith the selected stamp during the previous interrogation bears a“multi-A” marker from FIG. 8 in its record 22 pointing back to theselected stamp. The FIG. 9( c) routine records correlations amongmultiple RFID stamps across multiple databases and is therefore atomic.

The routine is entered at step 955 from FIG. 9( a) with the list ofmailpiece RFID stamp tag IDs from the interrogation step 911. To sortthrough all the possible combinations of RFID stamps that could bepresent the process begins with decision 956 where it is determinedwhether the selected stamp is an “A” stamp. If there is no selected “A”stamp, then the selected stamp is a “B” stamp. Since multiple-B stampusage is not allowed, this selected “B” stamp is the unique stamp tobear the postage and it is the only activated item on the list. So, atstep 983, the selected “B” stamp's record 22 is fetched by its tag ID.Next, it is determined whether the selected “B” stamp has ever been seenwith an “A” stamp at decision 984. If so, the process returns withoutmaking any calculations via step 989. But, if the selected “B” stamp hasnot been marked with the A+B marker, then its record 32 is fetched atstep 985 and the customer account number of field 32-2 is used to fetchrecord 12 at step 986. Next, the system records an alert in field 12-6that the “B” stamp is being used independently of an “A” stamp. This isso “B” stamp purchasers may keep track of the use of their “B” stamps.Then the process returns without performing any postage calculationsthrough step 989.

Now the possibility that the selected stamp is an “A” stamp at decision956 will be considered. In this case, a list of tag IDs of lengthgreater than one time is possible and the selected tag ID may appear atany position on this list. Thus, at step 957, a loop control pointer isrestored to the head of the RFID stamp list, and the local variablecalled the “default-value sum” is set to zero at step 958. Next, theloop begins at step 959 where the current RFID stamp tag ID is set fromthe pointer and the pointer is advanced on the list. Decision 960follows, where it is asked if the current tag ID is the tag ID of theselected RFID stamp. If it is, the loop processing is skipped and theroutine proceeds to decision 963 where it is determined if the pointeris beyond the end of the tag ID list. If not, the loop is accessed againthrough connector C. Otherwise, the loop terminates and the next part ofthe routine begins at decision 975 which will be explained later afterother decision paths that converge on this processing point arepresented.

The remaining path of decision 960 is taken if the current stamp is notthe same as the selected one. In this case, its record 22 is fetched bythe current RFID tag ID at step 961. If at decision 962, record 22 ismissing, then the process ends the loop and goes to decision 963, fromwhich the routine may either go on to decision 975 or reconnect for thenext loop iteration via C. Otherwise, the result of decision 962 is thatthere is a record 22 and if, at decision 964, the stamp is a “B” stamp,then at step 965 the current “B” stamp's field 22-4 is updated with anA+B marker that includes the tag ID of the selected “A” stamp. The sameinformation is stored in the current “B” stamp's record 42 at step 966.Processing of this “B” stamp has finished and the routine goes todecision 963 where the process continues as described above. Adding theA+B marker indicates that this is the first time a “B” stamp has been“seen” with a selected “A” stamp after entry. The selected “A” stamp hasbeen marked “ENTRY” and will bear the postage while the “B” stamp willbe protected from being cancelled as postal entity processing continues.

However, if the current RFID stamp is not a “B” stamp at decision 964,then since the current stamp is a non-selected “A” stamp, it iscancelled at step 967 by writing in its field 22-6 the time and locationof cancellation. This is to prevent the reuse of non-selected “A” stampsand billing confusion. It can be deduced that this stamp was a member ofa group since it is marked “cancelled” but has no entry recorded in itsfield 22-5. Next, at step 968, its record 42 is updated by the currenttag ID with the remark “CANCELLED/Group”. Also, it may be noted that anyZIP+4 stored in field 22-2 of such a non-selected RFID stamp will beignored by the system during routing to prevent confusion.

Continuing at decision 969, if the current stamp is enabled, record 32is fetched by its tag ID at step 972, and at step 973 its record 12 isfetched by using the customer account number of 32-2. Then, at step 974the account is debited for misuse of an enabled stamp because more thanone enabled stamp is present on the mailpiece, and the process moves todecision 963 as above. Otherwise, at decision 969, if the current stampis not enabled its default value is added to the default value sumthrough the VALUATION routine call at step 971. After the computation,the process continues to decision 963 as above.

The VALUATION routine (entered at step 990) ensures that any deferredpayment default-value stamp is now billed to the proper account and itadds the default value to the default-value sum. (Recall that thedefault-value sum variable was initially set to zero at step 958 in theouter routine.) So, if a customer mixes stamps from different accounts,each is properly accounted for. At step 991, it is determined if thedefault value is pre-paid by looking at field 22-4. If it is pre-paid,the routine skips to step 996 where the RFID stamp's default value fromfield 22-4 is added to the default-value sum and the routine returns toits calling point through step 997. But, if the default value is notpre-paid, then record 32 is fetched at step 992 using the current RFIDstamp's tag ID. The account number in field 32-2 is used to fetch record12 at step 993, and, in step 994, the account is billed for the RFIDstamp's chosen default value. Next, at step 995, the remark “paid” iswritten in field 22-4. Finally, at step 996, the default-value sum isaugmented by the current RFID stamp's value from field 22-4 and theprocess returns via step 997 as in the pre-paid case.

Five paths converge on decision 963, one for each type of stampconsidered in the processing loop of FIG. 9( c). Once the loop controlpointer is past the end of the list, the remaining section of thisroutine commences at decision 975 where it goes on to give credit forthe default-value sum of non-selected RFID stamps or, in the case thatno non-selected RFID stamp carries a default value, it passes on to thereturn step 989. In the latter case there is a selected “A” stamp, andthe non-selected RFID stamps with no default value may be one or more ofthe following: any “B” stamps, enabled “A” stamps, and non-activatedstamps.

However, if the default-value sum is non-zero at decision 975, thenrecord 22 of the selected RFID “A” stamp is fetched at step 976 and itis determined if the selected RFID “A” stamp is enabled at decision 977.If the selected RFID “A” stamp is not enabled, then at step 978 theselected stamp's tag ID is passed to the VALUATION routine, where theselected stamp's default value is added to the default-value sum. Next,field 22-4 of the selected “A” stamp is updated with the “grand total”default-value sum at step 979. Then, the routine returns through step989 for this case. Alternatively, if the selected “A” stamp was found tobe enabled at decision 977, then its record 32 is fetched by its tag IDat step 980, subsequently the customer account number of field 32-2 isused to fetch the customer's account record 12 at step 981 and theaccount is given a partial credit of the default-value sum in its field12-6 in step 982. The routine is then exited via the return at step 989.Partial credit is suggested in this exemplary case to discourage“affixing” mixtures of non-enabled and enabled RFID stamps. Such usagedemands extra processing and wastes the stamp.

The final stages of exemplary postal entity RFID stamp processing, afterexiting FIG. 9( a) at step 999, are charted on FIG. 10( a). This routinecovers billing and cancellation of the selected RFID stamp; and, routingand delivery of the mailpiece bearing the selected RFID stamp, includingmisdelivery and return-to-sender scenarios. The flowchart of FIG. 10( a)begins at step 1010 where the physical characteristics of the mailpieceare measured by the postal entity, and these are used to determinecharges to be applied according to the mailpiece's associated class andservices chosen in the selected RFID stamp's field 22-4. The routinethen proceeds to the decision 1011 where it is determined if themailpiece's selected RFID stamp's field 22-2 indicates that it isenabled. If the selected RFID stamp is not enabled, it is necessary toknow if the default value of the selected stamp, or the default-valuesum of stamps, in the selected stamp's field 22-4 will cover the chargesat decision 1012. If the value assigned to the selected RFID stamp isinsufficient, the routine proceeds to step 1027 via connector X wherethe RFID stamp's records 22 and 42 are updated as CANCELLED. The routinethen exits at step 1028 to the “Return to sender” routing of FIG. 10(b). Otherwise, it must be known if the selected RFID stamp has beenpre-paid at decision 1014. If so, the flowchart moves to step 1019,where the cancellation time, location and charges are updated in theRFID stamp's record 22. But, if the selected RFID stamp has not yet beenpaid for, then the postage charge will be set according to the chosendefault value of the selected RFID stamp at step 1015. (This step isnecessary only if the selected RFID stamp is not among a group of “A”stamps per FIG. 9( c)).

Step 1016 is next and starts the final billing process for thecustomer's RFID stamp. It also has a conjunction with an alternate pathfrom decision 1011. Therefore, the “yes” branch of decision 1011 will beconsidered now. Since the selected RFID stamp is enabled in this case,it should also be determined if the postage charges may exceed a limitset in the RFID stamp's field 22-4 at decision 1013. If so, the processproceeds to step 1027 where the RFID stamp's records 22 and 42 areupdated as CANCELLED. This routine then exits through step 1028 to FIG.10( b) to the “Return to sender” routine. Otherwise, the flowchart leadsto step 1016 and the billing procedure begins by fetching record 32 ofthe selected RFID stamp in order to retrieve the customer accountnumber. Step 1017 is where the customer account record 12 is fetched byfield 32-2, and the account is billed in field 12-6 at step 1018. (Inthe case of “B” stamps without the A+B marker, the alert from FIG. 9( c)is also present in the customer's account record 12, field 12-6.) Then,the selected RFID stamp's record 22 is updated with the cancellationtime, location and charges in its cancellation field 22-6 at step 1019.

Advantageously, in order to encourage end customers to use RFID stampsand to have registered postal accounts, the postal entity may charge ona more refined rate scale for each mailpiece, or even at a reduced ratepredicated on actual weight rather than a broad first class defaultcharge per item. Thus, even a non-enabled postal account activated stampcould generate a refund on its default first class value. This would beless expensive for the customer than legacy postage.

All selected RFID stamps that reach step 1019 continue for furtherrouting by their associated ZIP+4. To do this, decision 1020 checks forZIP+4 information in the RFID stamp's field 22-2. If it is not present(a possibility only for a selected “A” stamp), then the postal entitywill enter into the selected RFID stamp's field 22-2 the ZIP+4 from thevisible address on the mailpiece at step 1026. Then, the process goes todecision 1021, where the “yes” branch of decision 1020 also enters. Hereas an exemplary feature, the system checks whether the destination ZIP+4is on a forwarding list. If it is, then at decision 1022 it will bedetermined if the addressee of the mailpiece corresponds to the clientrequesting forwarding. If so, a forwarding address is printed on themailpiece at step 1023 and a new ZIP+4 is assigned to the selected RFIDstamp's field 22-2 in step 1024. (Advantageously, other specialdestination processing requests, such as mail hold, could be implementedat this stage as well.) Then, at step 1025, the path from step 1024 andthe two “no” branch paths from decisions 1021 and 1022 meet, where theselected RFID stamp is marked with the event CANCELLED in its record 42.All steps leading to cancellation from 1010 to 1025 are atomic.

Recalling that the customer can enter the destination ZIP+4 as describedabove in association with FIG. 7( a), it is anticipated that largevolume mailers will have means to associate their mailing lists withtheir RFID “A” stamp inventory in order to furnish destination ZIP+4information in advance so that the postal entity personnel would notneed to enter this information at the time of cancellation. This wouldimprove routing efficiency for the postal entity. It could also providea price reduction incentive for the use of this feature.

The following sequence of steps concern post-cancellation routing up tosuccessful delivery. At decision 1030, it is determined whether or notthe mailpiece has been routed to its final destination carrier. If not,further routing takes place through the “route mailpiece” routine ofFIG. 9( b) at step 1032, and the process continues at decision 1030.Within FIG. 9( b), records of the mailpiece's journey are updated. Oncerouting to the final destination carrier has been achieved at decision1030, the process goes on to the final “interrogation” routine callbefore delivery at step 1031 in order to fetch the selected RFID stamptag ID. (This is one of the occasions optimizations of the FIG. 8flowchart will be applied. The “interrogation” routine will return earlyat steps 850, 851 or 852, since the selected tag ID is marked with“ENTRY” and any accompanying RFID “A” stamps will carry a multi-A markercontaining the selected RFID tag ID. Any singleton RFID stamp comes outat step 850.) Then, record 22 of the selected RFID stamp is fetched atstep 1033. At decision 1034, a check of field 22-6 is made to determinethat the selected RFID stamp has in fact been cancelled. If not, theproblem mailpiece with an uncancelled RFID stamp is directed for postalinspection at step 1036. Otherwise, at decision 1035, the mailpiece'sfield 22-2 is obtained in order to check if the ZIP+4 corresponds to aZIP+4 on the destination carrier route. If the ZIP+4 is not on thecarrier's route then some mistake has occurred and the item is directedfor further routing at step 1032. But, if the ZIP+4 does match one onthe carrier's route, then, at step 1037, record 22 of the mailpiece'sselected RFID stamp is updated with the time and location of thedelivery in field 22-7; and, the same stamp's record 42 is updated withthe RFID stamp event: DELIVERY in step 1039.

The recipient of the mailpiece determines at decision 1040 if the itemis addressed to an individual or entity correlated with the address. Ifso, the item has been successfully delivered and the flowchart concludesat step 1099. But if, at decision 1040, the mailpiece was misdelivered,or the recipient refuses the item, or the carrier notices that there isno such address or some other problem, then the item will be redirected.It may be presented to the local carrier by the recipient at decision1041 or returned by the recipient to a postal entity facility at step1043. In the event that the local carrier re-encounters the mailpiece,at decision 1042, he/she may redeliver the item, correcting a mistake indelivery, or may return it to his/her local postal entity facility atstep 1043. The action taken at decision 1042, may or may not be recordedin the selected RFID stamp's record 42 depending upon the presence of alocal carrier operated RFID reader (e.g., handheld or on the carrier'sdelivery truck).

Once the misdelivered or refused item is back at the postal entityfacility at step 1043, the item will be re-interrogated to retrieve theselected RFID stamp tag ID at step 1044. The postal entity willdetermine if redelivery of the mailpiece is possible at step 1045. Ifnot, as in the case of the refused item or other situations such asaddressee moved with no forwarding address, then at step 1029 the postalentity directs the mailpiece to the “return to sender” routine of FIG.10( b). Otherwise, if redelivery is to be attempted, record 22 isfetched by the selected RFID stamp tag ID at step 1046, its field 22-4is updated with the remark “misdelivered” in step 1047 and its record 42is also updated with the stamp event MISDELIVERED at step 1048. Theserecords of misdelivery and return-to-sender events can be used forinternal postal entity efficiency checks. The mailpiece then re-entersrouting processing at decision 1030. At this same juncture, anymailpiece from the “return to sender” routine of FIG. 10( b) may alsore-enter the mailstream for routing via the entry step 1049.Recommencing routing through step 1049 avoids the possibility that theselected RFID stamp could face cancellation procedures a second time.The routine eventually concludes at 1099 unless the item is determinedto be undeliverable in FIG. 10( b).

Several exemplary conditions involving delivery problems are addressedin FIG. 10( b). This, the final flowchart to be described, is entered bytwo different paths, steps 1050 and 1051. The circumstances to beremedied are not limited to the exemplary problems described. Regardlessof the point of entry or paths taken, the routine is atomic. The firstentry to be considered, at step 1051, is the “missing RFID stamp”scenario referred from step 928 of FIG. 9( a). A mailpiece arrives atthis point in its processing if it has no RFID stamp signal at all orhas an unrecognizable RFID stamp signal. The postal entity must inspectthe mailpiece in order to assess the charges for their services. Atdecision 1053, it is determined whether or not an “affixed” stamp is acounterfeit RFID stamp. If so, it will go to hand processing at step1055 for further inquiry. If not, there may not be any form of postage“affixed” to the mailpiece, or there may be a damaged RFID stamppresent. First the item is inspected for a visible return address atdecision 1070. If not legible, the mailpiece is sent for further postalentity hand processing at step 1055. But, if a return address isavailable, the postal entity “affixes” its own activated RFID stamp tothe item at step 1071. This RFID stamp is then interrogated to retrievethe tag ID at step 1072, its associated record 22 is fetched at step1073 and its “entry” field 22-5 is updated with the entry time andlocation of processing in step 1074. Also, at step 1075, the postalentity's “affixed” RFID stamp tag ID will have charges recorded in“cancellation” field 22-6 as well as the processing time and location.The item's record 42 is updated at step 1076 with the RFID stamp events:ENTRY and CANCELLATION. Then, at decision 1077, the postal entitydecides whether it will charge the postage due for the return of themailpiece.

If the original RFID stamp is deemed damaged, the return postage for theitem to which the new postal-entity RFID stamp is “affixed” will beforgiven and the process goes to step 1080 where the postal entity willenter the ZIP+4 of the item's return address into the new RFID stamp'sfield 22-2. But, if there was no stamp whatsoever, the postal entitywill attempt to collect the return postage due, determined according tothe postal entity's billing protocols. At step 1078, the newly “affixed”RFID stamp's field 22-4 is updated with the charges due. An appropriateendorsement with the charges due are printed on the undeliverablemailpiece at step 1079, and the postal entity enters the return addressZIP+4 in field 22-2 for further routing at step 1080.

There is another path through which decision 1077 could be entered. Itstarts at the FIG. 10( b) “return to sender” entrance, step 1050. Thisis where an item may be returned to the sender through step 950 of FIG.9( b) because it is undeliverable, through step 1028 of FIG. 10( a)because of insufficient postage, or through step 1029 of FIG. 10( a)because the item was misdelivered and delivery is not possible. As FIG.10( b) is entered at step 1050, record 22 is known to be available forthese cases and it has already been fetched. Decision 1060 determines iffield 22-4 of the selected RFID stamp bears an “undeliverable” remark.If so, record 42 of the selected RFID stamp is updated at step 1052 toindicate that “return to sender failed” since the item has already beenthrough once before. This protects against mail infinitely loopingthrough the system. Then it is sent to step 1055 for hand processing ofundeliverable mail. But, if there is no such marker at decision 1060,then record 32 is fetched by the selected RFID stamp tag ID to retrievethe customer account number in step 1061, and at step 1062 thecustomer's record 12 is fetched by the account number of field 32-2.

Next, it is determined in decision 1063 whether or not there is a returnaddress in record 12's field 12-3. If not record 42 is updated with aremark “no return address in record 12” in step 1069. This happens whenthe anonymous purchaser uses a retailer-activated non-enabled stamp.Then, the item goes on to decision 1054 where it is determined whetheror not a legible return address is seen. If not, the mailpiece is routedto the hand processing step 1055. If there is a return address visible,then the item passes on to decision 1077 where charges for return tosender are considered. From this point, the path converges with the“missing stamp” path discussed above. The branch taken from decision1077 depends upon each mailpiece's special characteristics. An exampleof an item not being charged extra for return postage would be anordinary first-class letter whose addressee has moved and not left aforwarding address. An example of a qualifying postage due item would bean undeliverable invoice mailed on a first class permit with addressservice requested. The two branches meet up at step 1080 for ZIP+4return routing information as before.

There is another choice at decision 1063 that needs to be discussed.Thus is when there is a return address in customer account record 12. Inthis case, field 22-2 of the selected RFID stamp is overwritten with theZIP+4 found in field 12-3 of record 12 at step 1064. Advantageously, thereturn address (based on information in field 12-3) can be printed onthe mailpiece with an appropriate undeliverable mail endorsement in step1065. Next, charges for the “return to sender” will be considered atdecision 1066. The criteria are the same as at decision 1077, only atthis point in the routine the postal entity may automatically bill thepostal customer for the service at step 1081 and print the surcharge onthe mailpiece at step 1082. Whether or not extra charges were billedfrom either path (step 1082 or step 1080), at step 1067, field 22-4 ofthe selected RFID stamp is updated with an “undeliverable mail”endorsement. Then, for all cases passing through step 1067, the selectedRFID stamp's record 42 is updated in step 1068 and the mailpiece isreturned via step 1090 to the routing process at step 1049 of FIG. 10(a). Step 1049 returns to FIG. 10( a) after the CANCELLATION event ofstep 1025, thus avoiding a problematic double cancellation.

Now that the detailed description of the complete set of systemflowcharts has been presented, some features of the RFID stamps will bediscussed. In particular, characteristics of A+B sets involving multiplefeatures carried over multiple flowcharts can be easily summarized.Unlike RFID “A” stamps, RFID “B” stamps are typically owned by theaddressee and not the sender. It is anticipated that the largest salesof A+B sets would be to mailers, such as utility companies requiringhigh volume reply mailings. Advantageously, these customers may deferpostal entity billing for the “affixed” RFID “B” stamp until the time ofits cancellation, preventing charges for unused RFID “B” stamps (FIG. 5(b), decision 591). Advantageously, the postal entity may bill suchdeferred-payment customers at the current rate.

As a convenience, the postal entity may provide means for a “B”stamp-reply-mail customer to simultaneously associate a reply addressfield number at the time of activation/purchase (FIG. 5( b), decision581) with a plurality of “B” stamps (e.g., a flat of envelopes with“affixed” “B” stamps). This could be done using an RFID reader toproduce a list of “B” stamp IDs at a business location which then sendsthe list via the postal entity web portal in order to assign the replyaddress to each “B” stamp tag ID. Or, the tags could be read in bulk ata postal entity facility from which the list would be passed into theRFID database system to associate the business' reply address with the“B” stamp tag IDs. Later, if need be, the customer could change thecontents of her/his chosen reply address field in record 12, for examplethrough a postal web interface or by some other means known in the art.Then, when a mailpiece with any one of the bulk-read “affixed” RFID “B”stamps is read at “entry”, the updated reply destination ZIP+4 would befetched using the updated contents of the chosen reply address field. Itis then written in record 22, field 22-2 for routing (FIG. 9( a), step919).

As a further enhanced service opportunity, the postal entity may offerto the high-volume-reply-mail client the use of RFID “B” stamps withspecially formatted RFID tag IDs for optimized sorting of items bearingsuch stamps. These “super B” stamps would be manufactured as requestedby the customer with the reply address ZIP+4 information encoded in thetag ID. Such an RFID tag ID may be identified by a special prefix thatwould advantageously permit the postal entity to avoid database dips ateach routing step (FIG. 9( b), decision 940). It is a further advantage,especially for high-volume mailers, that “B”-stamp-reply-mail customersmay use the database 20 records to inventory replies by looking forcorrelations between reply “B” mailpiece and the original “A” covermailpiece. This data mining of the information of database 20 could beconsidered an extra service provided by the postal entity. Subject toservice agreements, the postal entity could do its own marketing orother studies of high-volume reply mail through databases 20 and 40.

There are multiple safeguards implemented throughout the system toprotect the “B” stamp owner from misuse of the “B” stamp. In the case ofan “A” stamp, the sender (typically the owner of the “A” stamp) isallowed to choose services and ZIP+4, but the sender of a mailpiece witha “B” stamp does not have these capabilities (see FIG. 7( a), decision713). The destination of a “B” stamp is determined by the contents ofthe stamp owner's record 12. Mailpieces with an “affixed” “B” stamp willbe automatically routed by the inventive system using the ZIP+4 of thechosen reply address derived from record 12 (FIG. 9( a), decision 907).So, if an individual tries to send an item to a destination other thanthe owner's intended reply address, the item will be routed to thecorrect owner-specified reply ZIP+4 anyway. Misuse could then be noticedby the local destination mail carrier through an address inconsistency(FIG. 10( a), decision 1035) and the item would go to “render to sender”processing, which in this case would lead to the “B” stamp owner. Themisuse could then be reported by the “B” stamp owner to the postalentity. In the case of high volume mailers, they will likely have theirown ZIP+4, making accurate delivery automatic.

Other safeguards include: if an individual tries to apply multiple “B”stamps to cover postage on a mailpiece beyond what the original ownerrequested, an error condition “multi-B error” will be recorded indatabase 40 for each stamp (FIG. 9( a), step 930), and the item will beflagged and inspected by the postal entity (FIG. 10( b), decision 1053);and, lastly, the use of “B” stamps that were never sent through thepostal entity inside an “A” mailpiece is indicated on the “B” reply mailcustomer's itemized bill (FIG. 9( c), decision 984). This feature couldbe used to detect internal employee abuse of “B” reply mail postage forpersonal use. All of these possible misuses of “B” stamps could betracked through database 40 in the event of an investigation.

The inventive process allows both “A” and “B” stamp owners thecapability to change their record 12 information associated with theirRFID stamps. Customers can change this information (e.g., returnaddress, billing address, reply address, payment method) at any time,although the effect on the lifecycles of the RFID “A” and “B” stamps issomewhat different. So, for example, if an item with an “affixed” “A”stamp was to be found undeliverable and the customer had changed his/herreturn address in database 10 after the item had been deposited with thepostal entity, the look-up of record 12 in the “return to sender”routine of FIG. 10( b) at step 1062 would direct the return to theupdated address. Thus, advantageously, the item is automatically“forwarded” to the updated location without looking into the postalentity's legacy forwarding lists.

Thus, conventional forwarding of any postal entity customer'sdeliverable mail, and other special requests such as “holding” therecipient's mail may be advantageously improved using the ZIP+4associated with an RFID stamp at the postal sort facility before beingrouted to the local postal entity office or local carrier by checkingthe ZIP+4 of field 22-2 of record 22 against its legacy request list(see FIG. 10( a), step 1022).

By way of contrast, in the case of a “B” stamp, an update of its replyaddress must precede the “B” stamp being marked “entered” into thepostal entity system. The system prevents non-owners from changing the“B” stamp reply destination by requiring the “B” stamp owner's accountnumber and authorization (things a non-owner is unlikely to know). Thisis the same protection against unauthorized account information changesprovided to all RFID stamp holders, but extended to protect the replyaddress of the “B” stamp. Also recall, as a safeguard to the owner ofany RFID stamp (“A” or “B”), enablement status of an RFID stamp (infield 22-3) cannot be changed after the RFID stamp has been marked“entered” (FIG. 9( a), step 908), although the return address, replyaddress, etc. can still be altered.

However, as recorded in FIG. 2( b), it is possible for John Doe todisable his enabled RFID “A” stamp 100-4, in order to give Jane Smith adefault-value RFID stamp. This prevented RFID stamp 100-4 fromessentially being a blank check. The procedure is not on the systemflowcharts, but may be accomplished through the postal entity's webportal, or a customer-facing kiosk, upon presentation of propercredentials. Such a change of status may be indicated on record 42 asevent type “disabled” and simultaneously the enablement field 22-3 inrecord 22 is cleared.

In the event an end-customer has lost or thought her/his RFID stamps hadbeen stolen, it would be possible for the postal entity to offer aservice that would de-activate such stamps. These RFID stamps would havetheir records 22 and 32 destroyed, resulting in the RFID stamps havingno face value (no longer “franked”). Replacement stamps (with differenttag IDs) could be provided. In the event that someone tries to later usea “lost” or “stolen” stamp, it would not be accepted by the cancellationor routing procedures, and could be returned to the sender (notnecessarily the previous owner) if a legible return address was presenton the mailpiece, and return postage would be charged. Otherwise, themailpiece would become a “dead letter”.

There are other advantages that the postal entity may offer to theenrolled RFID stamp customer. Special ancillary services may beassociated with specific routing or processing events by the postalentity. For example, the final delivery RFID read of a mailpiece maytrigger activation or enablement of RFID stamps enclosed therein (e.g.,activating a boxed order of wedding invitations, or if someone wished tosend “A” stamps). This would not require any additional labor on thepart of the postal entity. And for customers who receive large volumesof mail, the postal entity may offer to further collate the recipient'smail into categories such as bundles of reply mail (i.e., “B” stamp),bundles of first-class non-reply mail (i.e., first-class “A” stamp),bulk-rate, etc. In the case of very large volumes of mail, it may evenbe sorted into origination regions by the ZIP+4 of the entry location ofthe “affixed” RFID stamp (see FIG. 2( a), field 22-5). The business mayuse this for market planning and analysis.

Ultimately, in all cases, all mailpieces may be routed automatically bythe “affixed” RFID stamp associated information if the full destinationaddress (not just the postal routing code) is entered into the RFIDstamp's record 22 in mailpiece history database 20 before deposit. Then,no postal entity employee would need to read the destination addressuntil it reached the destination carrier delivery route.

The postal entity may impose restrictions on database access to ensurecustomer privacy, security of customer financial information andconfidentiality of internal postal operations. It is anticipated thatthe postal entity, authorized distributors, authorized retailers andRFID stamp manufacturers will share databases for manufacturing andinventory management. These databases may be partitioned to allow thevarious administrative entities to keep their proprietary informationsecure. RFID tag information may be shared between these databases andRFID stamp event database 40 (see FIGS. 1 and 2( a)).

Registration events may be restricted to the postal entity and may bestored exclusively in database 40. In an exemplary embodiment, a subsetof the events in database 40 flow into database 20 in a one-way fashion.In this embodiment, mailpiece-handling machinery may access database 20for routing and sorting. During postal entity processing and routing,the integrity of customer information is further protected since thepostal entity RFID readers only send the RFID stamp tag ID into thepostal entity information “cloud”. Eavesdropping on the signal from apostal entity RFID reader, whether on a postal entity truck, ahand-carried device, at any routing station, etc., will not reveal anyinformation from the postal entity databases. Since the RFID stamps areread-only tags, there is never any occasion for information to flow backto the RFID interrogator.

In particular, once the mailpiece with “affixed” RFID stamp(s) isdeposited at a postal entity facility, no hackers can access thesensitive record 12 information through eavesdropping because tag IDinformation is passed one-way into the cloud. Authorized personnelresponsible for resolving mail sorting and delivery problems (e.g.,someone who re-routes misdelivered mail) may need access to mailpiecehistory database 20, but no other databases. Supervisory personnel maytrace events recorded in database 20 back to the more detailed eventstream in database 40, or vice versa, for service monitoring orresolution of anomalies (e.g., non-activated RFID stamps or misused “B”stamps).

Customers may be given limited access to database 20, through acustomer-service kiosk or via the postal entity's web portal, to enterZIP+4 information for their mailpieces or to trace mailpieces whenauthorized. Certain information in database 20, such as charges orpostal truck numbers, may be redacted from the general public. Asdescribed above, database 20 contains no customer account information,not even the customer's postal account number. Also, for example, endcustomers might be allowed access to database 20 through a restrictedmechanism to monitor the usage of RFID stamps that have been activatedor enabled on their accounts.

Access to customer account database 10 and PAC database 50 may berestricted to authorized postal entity customer account servicepersonnel and customers themselves who may have access to their ownaccounts, again through a customer-service kiosk or via the postalentity's web portal. The system itself requires access to database 10 toactivate and enable RFID stamps. When authorized by a customer, thepostal entity and its authorized retailers may access database 10 andpost charges to third-party billing databases 60 to complete credit ordebit card transactions and the like. An exemplary purchase event,regardless of seller or payment method, is recorded in database 40.

When an RFID stamp is to be cancelled, the system looks up its ID indatabase 30 to find the associated account to bill in database 10;cancellation is recorded in databases 20 and 40. Conversely, given anaccount number in database 10, the system may (subject to privilege andpolicy restrictions) locate instances of the account in database 30 andfollow the associated tag IDs into databases 20 and 40. For example,this mechanism may be necessary for the postal entity to generate for aretailer an itemized billing for his/her sale of individual RFID stamps,whether pre-paid at time of activation, or if the billing is deferreduntil the customer enters the stamp into the postal entity system.

The postal entity may generate a periodic itemized bill for its endcustomers based on the contents of database 10. In the case of anaccount with third-party billing, such a postal entity bill may beoptional. Subscribed cash-account customers may also receive alerts fora low account balance condition. The postal entity may wish to contractout some of its billing to businesses well-versed in micro-payments.Billable events triggered by a PAC transaction may include the PAC ID(see database 50 in FIG. 1) in the itemization. In a preferredembodiment, multiple PACs with distinct IDs may be associated with asingle postal account with itemized billing sorted by the distinct PACID. This would be useful to businesses in order to monitor the postageexpenses of separate departments, for example.

In a preferred embodiment, postal entity authorized retailer accountshave certain distinguishing features. These accounts are for postalentity RFID stamp supply chain billing. The retailer class of account isassociated with RFID stamps sold “anonymously” for their default value(e.g., first-class postage). This is the case when the authorizedretailer activates the stamp before sale to the end customer (see FIG.5( a)). Such accounts have no return address or ZIP+4 associated withthe RFID stamps through record 12. Only a billing address is associatedwith the RFID tag ID indirectly through its record 32. This is toprotect the seller from automatically receiving “return to sender” mail.Advantageously for the postal entity, use of enabled RFID stamps willall but eliminate non-delivery, and subsequent returns, due toinsufficient postage. In general, the use of any RFID stamps that areactivated on a postal-entity-registered end-customer account will allbut eliminate dead letters since the return address is available throughrecord 12.

The postal entity inventory of all RFID stamp sales to retailers is keptin database 40. It can be used for monitoring sales channels. Shouldtracking of “anonymous” mail be necessary for some reason (e.g.,malicious mail), the end customer purchase time and location could betraced through the retailer account. Law enforcement may, with a courtorder, gain access to the relevant records in database 40. Furthermore,if a credit card was used to purchase the RFID stamp(s) of interest, theretailer's credit card transaction records could be obtained as well. Ifmultiple status changes to an RFID stamp have been made using differentaccounts and locations (e.g., anonymous third-party purchase followed byenablement via PAC and, at a later date and from a different location,selection of enhanced postal entity services), all of these events wouldbe traceable through a single record 42 in database 40 even thoughmultiple records 12 would be involved.

A special case to consider is tracking a mailpiece to which ananonymously purchased RFID stamp was “affixed”. In an exemplaryembodiment, the postal entity may allow a customer to track such amailpiece if she/he provides the tag ID and the destination ZIP+4.Advantageously, such tracking searches of “anonymous” stamps byanonymous customers, as well as special services paid for with multiple“anonymous” stamps, would be recorded in database 40. In fact, trackingrequests of any RFID stamp on any type of account via any means could berecorded in database 40 and would be available for postal entity datamining.

Likewise, any addressee, by means of his/her own ZIP+4, may track amailpiece if the addressor has provided her/him the corresponding RFIDstamp's tag ID. Advantageously, this restricts the retailer fromresearching the RFID stamp usage of her/his customers.

RFID stamp event database 40 is highly sensitive from the standpoint ofthe postal entity. Events are written to database 40 from a variety ofsources, but unlimited read access to database 40 may be restricted toadministrative personnel and postal inspectors.

The system of the present invention offers strong resistance tocounterfeiting. RFID stamp tag IDs may be chosen from a sparse subset ofthe full tag ID space, making valid RFID stamp tag IDs difficult toguess. Furthermore, duplicate tag IDs would quickly be detected by thesystem. The first opportunity to detect this would be at activation(FIG. 5( b), decisions 577 and 578), where registration and absence ofprior activation are verified. The next chance to detect anon-conforming RFID stamp is at enablement (FIG. 6( b), decisions 680and 682) where activation and absence of prior enablement are verified.The third check is made at entry (FIG. 9( a), decision 905) whereactivation is verified. The fourth check is made at the time ofcancellation (FIG. 9( a), decision 913) where absence of priorcancellation is verified. Other checks are made whenever most RFIDstamps (non-“super B” stamps) are read and used for routing (FIG. 9( b))where the missing record 22 (i.e., lack of activation) will send themailpiece into legacy routing to be dealt with. These checks can alsopoint towards other problems besides counterfeiting, such as theft orinsider attacks.

The inventive RFID postal system facilitates fault detection (such aslost mail and slow service) by postal entity administrative personnel,through databases 20 and 40, without additional labor. Ideally, amailpiece would be deposited in an RFID-equipped collection box. Later,the RFID-equipped collection box would be emptied and the contentsloaded onto an RFID-equipped postal entity truck. The collectedmailpiece's passage in and out of postal entity facilities would becaptured by RFID interrogators at each time and location of the postalentity RFID readers. Finally, when the mailpiece is delivered by anRFID-equipped mail carrier, the delivery event is also captured.Simultaneously, the last RFID read of the bundles about to be deliveredby the local destination carrier could be used to alert the carrier toany misdirected mailpieces in the ZIP+4 bundles, thus improving deliveryreliability (FIG. 10( a), decision 1035). Consequently, because of theease of reading ZIP+4 on a mailpiece throughout routing and sorting,misdirected mail is less likely to be encountered. In the case ofreported lost mail, the event trail outlined above will immediatelylocalize the problem. Likewise, the postal entity itself may performtraffic analysis on the progress of individual mailpieces or groups ofmailpieces in order to monitor the quality of delivery service betweenselected routing points or regions. Anomalies in RFID-stamped mailpieceprogress could be detected. For example, postal employees who misdirectthe mail for personal use or are not meeting delivery obligations couldeasily be found. Or, in the event that a client falsely claims mail isbeing systematically lost by the postal entity, record 42 could be datamined to disprove such claims, as the progress of every RFID-stampeditem would be on record.

The present invention enables systemic improvements to postal entityoperations through traffic analysis and service monitoring studiesthrough data mining of database 40. Possible areas for such studiescould include optimization of routing, potential labor-saving sortingand handling procedures. Since the locations of all RFID stamps in thesystem are known at all times, automatic inventory management andshrinkage control are easily implemented. Reliability tests checking forloss of mail can be made end-to-end to ensure that every ENTRY event hasa corresponding DELIVERY event. Another opportunity for labor reductionmay be through a diminished need for customer facing counter services,afforded by enabled RFID stamps. There would also be clear improvementsin timely response to tracking, tracing and forensic needs.Advantageously, especially for forensics, the RFID tag itself isvirtually non-destructible. The RFID postal entity database system wouldbe an aid to postal inspectors' tasks. Detective work would be largelyredirected to data mining.

Summarizing, general features defining the RFID stamp of the presentinvention can be characterized by the following: (1) passive RFID tagsmay be used in a variety of different applications as a substitute fortraditional, fixed-rate postage; (2) passive RFID tags may be utilizedas postage “stamps” with the amount of postage automatically billed to acustomer account associated with the RFID tag, eliminating the need forthe customer to know the proper postage beforehand; (3) the customer mayrequest that “enhanced services” (such as insurance, certified, etc.) bebilled through the RFID tag; (4) the RFID tag may take the form of apostage stamp, or an equivalent instrument authorizing a deliveryservice. The system of the present invention utilizes so-called“passive” RFID tags; that is, tags that require no internal powersupply—the tag is energized by an RFID reader. Preferably, read-onlyRFID tags would be used in the present invention, since read-only tagsare less expensive than writeable tags, and writeable tags would alsorequire a security infrastructure to prevent unauthorized dataalteration; (5) only “one way” information is sent—the tag ID from theRFID stamp to an RFID reader. Hence, eavesdropping cannot revealanything useful, and personal information is protected. No sensitiveinformation is derivable from the RFID stamp tag ID itself. Thus, thetag ID may be freely transmitted in the clear during mail handlingoperations. Furthermore, since the tags are read-only they cannot bealtered by a malicious party; (6) The tag ID of an enabled RFID stamp isused by the postal facility to query the mailpiece history database andretrieve a matching record; the weight and postage will be entered intoa field. The postal facility will again use the tag ID to interrogatethe RFID stamp account database to retrieve the proper customer accountnumber. The postal facility will then access the customer accountdatabase, using the customer account number, and bill the appropriatecustomer record for the calculated postage; (7) the RFID stamp does notneed to be literally affixed to the outside of the mailpiece. Indeed,the RFID stamp may simply be disposed somewhere inside theletter/package; (8) Specially-formatted RFID stamps may aid in handlingof special cases of mail, having a special code within their tag ID; and(9) RFID stamps may be included on commonly-purchased envelopes orpackaging, in their initial “non-enabled” state and bearing a default(e.g., first-class) postage value.

Further summarizing, exemplary service applications/features associatedwith the use of the inventive RFID postage stamps can be enumerated asfollows: (1) the postal entity may elect to give a discount to customershaving postal accounts, such as discounts to customers to enter theZIP+4 information for their RFID stamped mailpieces; (2) the postalentity may automatically bill postage for services on a finer scale thatnow achievable (using micro-charges); (3) the postal entity may alsooffer postal account customers a finer-grained rate schedule thancurrently feasible. This could discourage consumers from sending themaximum weight of material per mailpiece at the selected flat ratepostage. Implementing this option would not necessarily reduce volumefor the postal entity, but could reduce the gross weight carried—leadingto energy savings; (4) special ancillary services may be associated withspecific routing or processing events. For example, the final deliveryRFID read of a mailpiece may trigger activation or enablement of otherRFID stamps enclosed within a mailpiece; (5) the postal entity mayprovide means, such as a web portal, for customers to access their RFIDstamp account information; (6) the postal entity may provide means, suchas a web portal, for customers to facilitate customer-initiatedtransactions associated with their RFID stamps; (7) the postal entitymay provide RFID readers at customer-facing postal entity facilitiessuch as kiosks, mail receptacles and the like in order to facilitatecustomer-initiated transactions, these facilities may also include meansfor the customers to perform data entry (such as to associate ZIP+4 witha tag ID); (8) mail collection boxes could be equipped with RFID readersto allow for mailpieces containing non-enabled and/or enabled RFIDstamps to be recorded as having entered the postal system by directdeposit into a collection box; (9) a postal entity RFID-reader-equippedfacility could simultaneously read RFID stamp tag IDs as well as thecustomer's RFID-based PAC card, thus advantageously expediting theassociation of the account with the stamp transaction for the customer;(10) in situations where a customer has a PAC, the card may be read bythe collection box to retrieve the customer account number and allow theRFID stamp to be enabled by linking the tag ID with the retrievedcustomer account number; (11) the postal entity may equip a plurality oflocations with RFID readers along its routing and processing paths inorder to record the progress of mailpieces to which RFID stamps areaffixed; (12) the postal entity could automatically micro-sort mailaddressed to large-volume recipients, distinguishing reply (“B” stamped)mail, ordinary (“A” stamps) mail and undeliverable returns, for example;and (13) the postal entity may offer data mining services of databasesderived from RFID stamp usage.

Various novel features of the databases utilized in implementing RFIDstamp processing may be summarized as including, but not limited to, oneor more of the following: (1) a customer account database, which formsan integral part of the inventive system. The unique identificationinformation embedded within each tag is linked in a one-to-onerelationship with a customer account through a collection of centralizedRFID stamp databases, maintaining a record of each of the postalentity's RFID stamps; (2) an RFID stamp mailpiece history database isused to record certain status changes in association with all RFID stamptag IDs, as well as the progress of RFID stamps as they pass through thepostal system; (3) the postal entity may store a routing code in themailpiece history database, associated with the tag ID, that maysupplement (or supplant) the use of routing codes or barcodes that mustbe printed on the mailpiece; (4) processing time within the postalsystem may be shortened by bulk reads of mailpieces, rather than thesingle piece barcode reads and single piece printing of barcodes; (5)the postal entity may itself enter the ZIP+4 of a mailpiece from avisible destination address into a field of the record in the mailpiecehistory database; (6) during mailpiece handling, routing informationcomes from a database lookup, not from something printed or stored inthe tag ID; (7) the postal routing code associated with an RFID “A”stamp, once entered into the mailpiece history database by an endcustomer, may only be changed by the owner of the account of that stamp;(8) fields in the mailpiece history database record of an RFID stamp tagID show service requests made by the customer, routing information,certain status events, and the time and location of the occurrence ofeach of these events; (9) the unique association between an RFID stamptag ID and a customer account number is recorded in an RFID stampaccount database. A separate class of customer account databasescontains the customer-sensitive billing information and is notretrievable by postal employees, there are no fields in common betweenthe customer account database and the mailpiece history database; (10)as a mailpiece passes through the postal system, all details of itsprogress and handling are recorded in the RFID stamp event database,which is a “write-once” database where events may be added but no datais ever replace; (10) all of the information recorded about an RFIDstamp in all postal entity databases is simultaneously recordedatomically, in the RFID stamp event database; and (11) all purchases ofRFID stamps can be recorded in the postal entity RFID stamp databases,even in the event of an “anonymous” purchase by the end customer, i.e.,non-postal entity account or physical cash transaction; (13) in fact,full life-cycle traceability of any, including anonymously purchased,RFID stamp is an integral feature of the inventive system; and (14) thevirtually “non-destructible” nature of the RFID tag is a valuablecharacteristic for notification by the postal entity to customers of anaccidentally-destroyed mailpiece and for forensic applications.

Various other features and improvements of the RFID postage system ofthe present invention can be summarized as follows. Firstly, an RFIDstamp is characterized by a set of “events” that define its statusthroughout the process, where these status events include: MANUFACTURE,REGISTRATION, ACTIVATION, PURCHASE, ENABLEMENT, ENTRY, CANCELLATION andDELIVERY, as discussed in detail hereinabove. Additionally, the use ofRFID stamps allows for the postal entity to track the progress ofvarious mailpieces through the system from dispatch to delivery.Tracking information is automatically recorded to the RFID stamp eventdatabase. Indeed, inventory management, process monitoring, personnelmonitoring, customer services, forensic tracking, and the like, may allbe integrated through the postal entity databases for RFID stamptracking and subsequent data mining.

Indeed, while the present invention has been described in detail withreference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modificationsexist within the spirit and scope of the invention as described anddefined in the claims appended hereto. Indeed, the sequence of thevarious flowcharts outlines an exemplary system architecture. The orderof processes and calls of routines implement interactions among the RFIDstamp tag, postal-entity cloud databases, the physical/mechanicalrouting system and the customer transactions within the postal-entitycloud. Other database arrangements, as well as other processing steps,may be used to implement the RFID stamp-based system of the presentinvention.

1. An RFID-based postage service for use with passive RFID-based stamps,each stamp having a unique tag ID number embedded therein, said servicecomprising a customer account database of subscribers to the service,the customer account database comprising a plurality of customer accountrecords, each record including an account number, a return address andbilling information; a mailpiece history database including a listing ofRFID stamp tag ID numbers, each listing including mailpiece destinationinformation and selected status information associated with the tag IDnumber; and means for linking an RFID stamp tag ID numbers in aone-to-one relationship with the plurality of customer account recordsin the customer account database.
 2. The RFID-based postage service asdefined in claim 1 wherein the mailpiece destination informationcomprises a destination routing code.
 3. The RFID-based postage serviceas defined in claim 2 wherein the destination routing code is replacedby information obtained from the customer return address stored in thecustomer account database for the purpose of returning mail deemedundeliverable.
 4. The RFID-based postage service as defined in claim 1wherein the mailpiece destination information comprises a destinationaddress and a destination routing code.
 5. The RFID-based postageservice as defined in claim 1 wherein the destination address anddestination routing code are replaced by information obtained from thecustomer return address stored in the customer account database for thepurpose of returning mail deemed undeliverable.
 6. The RFID-basedpostage service as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for linkingcomprises an RFID stamp account database including a paired listing ofRFID stamp tag ID numbers and customer account numbers, with the tag IDnumber used to access the proper record in the mailpiece historydatabase and the customer account number used to access the pairedcustomer account number from the customer account database.
 7. TheRFID-based postage service as defined in claim 1 wherein the customeraccount database billing information is selected from the groupconsisting of: pre-paid cash account, third-party credit account andthird-party debit account.
 8. The RFID-based postage service as definedin claim 15 wherein the service further comprises at least one thirdparty billing database to be accessed by third-party credit account anddebit account billing information listings in the customer accountdatabase.
 9. The RFID-based postage service as defined in claim 1wherein the selected status information stored in the mailpiece historydatabase comprises one or more elements selected from the groupconsisting of: manufacture information, registration information,activation information, purchase information, enablement information,class of service and ancillary service information, entry information,cancellation information and delivery information.
 10. The RFID-basedpostage service as defined in claim 1 wherein the service furthercomprises a postal account database including a listing of customeraccount numbers and associated postal account identification numbers,the postal account identification numbers embedded on customer-carriedelements.
 11. The RFID-based postage service as defined in claim 10wherein a customer-carried element is presented at a customer-facingvenue to apprise the service of the customer account to be used inactivating and/or enabling an RFID stamp.
 12. The RFID-based postageservice as defined in claim 1 wherein the service further comprises anRFID stamp event database for storing each tag ID and a plurality oflocations where each tag ID was retrieved and interrogated.
 13. A methodof activating a registered, non-activated RFID stamp including anembedded tag ID, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining aregistered, non-activated stamp including a passive RFID tag embeddedtherein; obtaining a postal customer account; and storing the postalcustomer account information in a customer database; interrogating theregistered RFID stamp and retrieving its unique tag ID; and atomicallyperforming the steps of: creating a record for the RFID stamp in amailpiece history database; storing the RFID stamp's monetary value insaid record of the mailpiece history database; and recording the uniquetag ID and associated customer account number in an RFID stamp database.14. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the step of obtaining apostal customer account is performed by creating a postal customeraccount, including an account number and billing information.
 15. Themethod as defined in claim 13, wherein the unique tag ID and associatedcustomer account number are stored in an RFID stamp account database.16. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the method furthercomprises the step of: billing the customer account for the RFID stamp'smonetary value.
 17. A method of enabling an activated, non-enabled RFIDstamp including an embedded tag ID, the method comprising the steps of:obtaining an activated stamp including a passive RFID tag embeddedtherein; obtaining a postal customer account; storing the postalcustomer account information in a customer database; interrogating theRFID stamp and retrieving its unique tag ID; marking the RFID stamp as“enabled” in a mailpiece history database; recording the unique tag IDand associated customer account number in an RFID stamp database; andcrediting the customer account with the RFID stamp's prepaid value, ifany.
 18. The method as defined in claim 17 wherein the step of obtaininga postal customer account is performed by looking up an existing postalcustomer account in a customer account database.
 19. The method asdefined in claim 17 wherein the step of obtaining postal customeraccount is performed by creating a postal customer account including anaccount number and billing information.
 20. The method as defined inclaim 17 wherein the unique tag ID and associated customer accountnumber are stored in an RFID stamp account database.